Author Archives: Chad

When redecorating your home the lights you select can make a significant impact. Choosing the right light fixtures can make a room look more impressive. For example, hanging a unique pendant light or chandelier can spruce up a foyer or entryway. The right type of lighting can make a space more functional.

Types of Lighting

Understanding the types of lighting can help you select the right fixtures for your Phoenix home. Layering multiple kinds can create a more useful space.

• Accent. These are meant to highlight specific features in your home. For example, spotlights can draw attention to artwork or a beautiful fountain.
• Ambient. The general lighting in a room is referred to as ambient lighting. It provides a soft glow and can be found in most rooms of your home. Examples include a wall sconce in a hallway, recessed lights in a living room, or pendant lights in a kitchen.
• Decorative. This type of lighting is one way to accessorize a room. Depending on the style of your home these decorative lights may be sleek and modern or feature ornate designs. Their purpose is to add some light, but mainly to add beauty or visual interest to a room.
• Task. If you want to illuminate a specific area of a room task lighting can help. This type of light directs attention where it is aimed. It provides you with light to do specific activities. For example, bathroom vanity fixtures shine light downward to provide sufficient light for getting ready or putting on makeup.

Tips for Choosing Light Fixtures

Choosing light fixtures starts with selecting the right type of lighting. Consider the purpose and the effect you want to create.

• Is there a piece of art that you want to highlight in your living room? Choose accent lighting that will illuminate this feature.
• Is your hallway a long, dark alley leading to the back of your home? A few strategically placed wall sconces could add ambient lighting to create a soft glow in the area.
• Is your living room looking outdated, but you aren\’t ready to buy new furniture to change the look? Add a few decorative lamps to improve visual interest without breaking the bank.
• Do you need better lighting while preparing food in your kitchen? Choose under cabinet task lighting that shines brightly on the countertops below.

Depending on the look you want to create you can choose subtle or decorative ambient light fixtures. For example, LED track lighting can keep a modern design looking sleek. On the other hand, a chandelier with fine details may fit well in a home with a classic design. Working with a professional can help you narrow down the type of lighting that you need. This can help limit your light fixture options.

What to Avoid When Selecting Light Fixtures

When you’re selecting light fixtures for your home there are a few things to consider.

• Convenience. Avoid choosing lights that end up being too much work to maintain. A chandelier with dozens of crystals to polish may be more work than it\’s worth.
• Height. Your space needs to remain functional. A pendant light that hangs too low over your kitchen island will be nothing but trouble if you hit your head every time you prepare dinner.
• Size. Choose lights that are an appropriate size. For example, don’t choose a standard size ceiling fan when you have a large living room with high ceilings. The fixture you select will need to provide enough light for your space.

After you’ve selected the right light fixtures for your home it’s important to make sure they’re installed correctly. Using a professional electrician can help decrease the risk of electrical problems during and after installation.

Are you in the process of redecorating your Phoenix home? Contact Turn It On Electric for assistance with all of your lighting needs.

When you plan on hosting summer parties and gatherings at your Phoenix home, consider adding custom outdoor lighting. Using this type of lighting gives you a way to illuminate the features of your home’s exterior, yard, or other outdoor areas. Keep the following tips in mind before your next party.

Reasons to Choose Decorative Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting for summer parties can serve both practical and aesthetic purposes. Some of the reasons you might want to install it include the following:

• Highlight features. Decorative outdoor lighting offers a way to highlight the features of your home’s exterior. For example, you might have a grand fountain that you want to draw attention to when guests arrive.
• Added value. Custom outdoor lighting can boost your home’s value. Compared to other remodeling projects, updating outdoor lighting is relatively easy and inexpensive. Imagine changing your builder-grade patio light to a custom fixture that complements your home\’s design.
• Safety. Outdoor lighting helps lower the risk of having party guests trip and fall while trying to walk around in the dark. Whether you have a summer party in your yard or on your patio, it’s important to provide enough lighting for your guests to see where they\’re going.
• More safety. Decorative outdoor lights can also provide enough visibility to deter intruders all year long.

Places to Install Decorative Outdoor Lighting

One of the decisions you’ll need to make is where to install your new lighting. You may simply want to replace outdated fixtures with something more functional or modern. You might decide to have lighting added to places that aren’t currently well-lit. There are several areas you should consider adding custom outdoor lighting.

Ceiling Fans Under Overhangs

As the Phoenix temperatures climb, ceiling fans offer a way to keep patios cooler during gatherings. Consider adding a ceiling fan with a light. In addition to keeping guests more comfortable, you\’ll have the added function of an overhead light. Many outdoor ceiling fan models have adjustable settings so you can increase or decrease the fan speed and the light brightness. This customization allows your guests to be comfortable no matter the time of day.

Hanging Lights Under Overhangs

Pendant lights and other types of decorative hanging lights are ideal for overhangs. These lights provide the right amount of lighting for guests as they sit and eat, play card games, or chat on the patio during your party. Hanging a pendant light above your high front door is a unique design feature your friends will surely notice. You can choose from a wide range of hanging lights in different styles and designs to match your home.

Wall Sconces on Home Exteriors

Wall sconces offer a way to illuminate impressive features on your home’s exterior while adding some decorative flair. Sconces also provide lighting so that guests can see where they’re going when it’s dark. Wall sconces are available with many options to suit any home. From contemporary to southwestern style, there really is something for everyone.

Garage Sconce Lighting

Garage sconce lights offer custom lighting that helps illuminate the front of your property, including your driveway. This can make it easier for guests to get to and from their cars when it’s dark out. These lights also come in a variety of designs that can enhance the appearance of your garage.

Hire the Professionals

If you’re interested in sprucing up your home\’s exterior by updating the look of your outdoor lighting, contact Turn It On Electric. Our electricians can work with you to install decorative lighting that enhances your home’s exterior.

Home security is about protecting your family and your belongings. Motion sensor lights you can help protect your home, family, and much more. However, there are additional benefits to using them, too.

Deter Criminals

Using a light outside your home can help deter intruders. A burglar is much more likely to attempt to break into a dark home than they are to try the well-lit house. Consider putting motion sensor lights in these key places to deter unwelcome visitors:

• Backdoors
• Front Doors
• Garage
• Hiding spots or blind spots near landscaping
• Windows

Finding the ideal spots to install your lights may seem easy but save this job for the professionals. They can work with you to make sure the lights are hung at the right height and in the right location.

These lights are beneficial if you go on vacation and ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your house. If they see the lights come on at your home, they can take a look or call the police. Motion sensor lights are also helpful when you are home.

Convenience

Whether you live by yourself, are married, or have kids, these lights are convenient for when people come home at night. Imagine fumbling with your keys, while balancing the groceries…in the dark. Maybe you feel \”creeped out\” when you\’re walking from your car to the front door. Motion sensor lights can help ensure you have enough light to see what\’s around you.

Deter Animals

If you have issues with animals, from rabbits to javelinas, motion sensor lights can help keep them away from your home. Many desert animals are nocturnal and forage at night. If they see a light turn on, chances are they\’ll move away from your house and find a darker place to explore.

Financial Savings

Motion sensor lights can also save you money on your electric bill. Do you usually leave your front light on while you\’re out to dinner and then forget to turn it off when you get home and go to bed? Do you work a graveyard shift and leave the light on while you\’re at work? Having your lights on all night can waste a lot of electricity. Motion sensor lights only come on when they are triggered, which means you could be saving money on energy bills.

Longer Lasting

Light bulbs suck up a lot of energy when they are on for hours. Motion sensor lights go on when they sense movement so they will typically only be on for a few minutes each day. This means that the lifespan of the motion sensor lights will most likely be higher than a regular bulb.

Use motion sensor lights in conjunction with other home security products such as infrared lighting, infrared cameras, and more. In fact, it\’s in your best interest to use a combination of products to keep you, your family, and your home as uninviting to invaders as possible.

Learn More About Motion Sensor Lights

Motion sensor lights work quickly and easily. When they detect movement, it will trigger the lights to come on immediately. Other types pick up heat signatures from people and animals; these will turn on when they see those signatures around your home.

If you would like to learn more about PIR motion sensor lights or you\’re ready for a professional to install them, contact Turn It On Electric.

Having outdoor security lighting for your Phoenix home can help deter intruders. It can also make it safer for you to walk outside at night, by lighting your path. You may have noticed your neighbor\’s motion sensor flood light when you walk by their home. While this does light up their driveway, criminals have learned how to work around them.

Where should you put outdoor security lighting? Our electricians know the right areas to install lights for them to be effective. Keep the following factors in mind when you install one of these systems at your home.

Avoid Creating Blind Spots

When you have one very bright light shining on your property, the areas outside it can become blind spots. This lighting setup creates darker areas where intruders can hide. Instead of having one bright light, such as a flood light, set up multiple lights that aren’t as bright.

When you have several lights set up at certain angles, you will reduce or eliminate blind spots. Your outdoor security lighting system will illuminate all areas of your property, which creates a more difficult area for intruders to invade.

Remember the Back and Side Yards

It’s common to light up the front yard, especially around doors. However, your backyard is at an even bigger risk for intruders. It provides more cover, away from the street. It’s important to make sure you have a properly positioned outdoor security lighting system to deter intruders. Your lights should illuminate all sides of your property.

Choose the Right Height

How high should your outdoor security lighting be placed? Lights that are close to the ground won’t provide the lighting you need. Instead, you\’ll have faint lighting and lots of blind spots. Lights that are too high need to be much brighter to provide lighting that reaches the ground.

Your outdoor lighting system needs to be at just the right height to provide plenty of illumination without creating blind spots. Your lights should point downward to shine on anyone in your yard. Keep in mind that placing your lights higher up helps protect them from tampering. An electrician understands the reasons behind an outdoor security lighting system and will work with you to help protect your home.

Avoid Obstacles

If you want to install a motion sensor lighting system, be aware of obstacles. Tree branches, for example, might blow in front of these sensors when it’s windy. This causes the sensors to go off when they don’t need to and may make you worry without reason. Remove obstacles or put motion sensor lighting in areas where tree branches and other potential obstacles won’t be a problem.

Avoid Glare

Glare from very bright lights can make it difficult for your outdoor security lighting system to work effectively. It causes the surrounding area to have more shadows and hiding places. Additionally, these bright lights can be obnoxious to look at. Since your neighbors get used to looking away from your bright lights, they may be less likely to notice someone sneaky into your yard.

A professional electrician will be able to help you avoid glare by ensuring your outdoor security lights have the right shielding. They can also help make sure that your lights are positioned properly and not pointed toward each other. Angling your security lights toward the ground can help cut down on glare.

Contact the Professionals

If you’re thinking of installing outdoor security lighting for your Phoenix home or your business, contact Turn It On Electric. Our electricians can safely and properly install this type of lighting to help keep your home or office secure.

Different types of lights allow you to use and enjoy your home, office, and the places you visit. Some make it possible to use the building around the clock. Others focus your attention on a specific detail, whether it’s a task or something to admire. Professionals classify types of lights into three categories that include general, task, and accent.

General Lighting

When you walk into a room and turn on the light switch, you are most likely turning on your general, or ambient, lighting. This type of light provides utility in lighting designs and can be found in most rooms of your house. General lighting can be ceiling-mounted or even recessed fixtures, as long as their purpose is to cast light evenly throughout the room.

You can dress up the appearance of general lighting by using recessed lighting, track lights, wall sconces, chandeliers, or pendants. Some kitchens, laundry rooms, and garages use overhead fluorescent bulbs. Although very different in aesthetic, each of these types of lights will broadcast light for the room. You can use dimmer switches with overhead lighting to give you the ability to change the look, without changing the bulb. 

Commercial buildings typically use fluorescent general lighting. Imagine your office; that bright buzzing glow provides an evenly cast light throughout the area. Restaurants often consider the atmosphere they want to create for their guests and use softer ambient lighting to set the mood.

Task Lighting

If you want to illuminate a specific area of a room, consider task lighting. This smaller light directs attention where it shines.

Task lighting under kitchen cabinets can increase functionality by illuminating the work area below, making it easier to see what you\’re cooking or cleaning. Another ideal place for task lighting in the kitchen is an overhead light at the sink. The professionals at Turn It On Electric can show you the best kinds of task lighting to simplify work in the kitchen.

Other examples of task lights include floor, desk, and end table lamps. A floor lamp can illuminate a hallway, without the need for bright general lighting. A desk lamp can provide extra light when reviewing paperwork. End table lamps can lower the lighting in a room, while still allowing you to comfortably read. 

Task lighting also has a place in the commercial world. These are often customized to the industry or business. Some businesses are even starting to use this type of lighting to increase productivity since it helps their employees focus on the task at hand. Designers use different types of lights that combine both form and function for retail and commercial buildings. The technicians at Turn It On Electric can help you select the best lighting for each area of your home or commercial space.

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is less common than the first two categories. However, there is still a place for them in homes and businesses. 

Display cases or bookcases may have built-in accent lighting to highlight the contents. Accent lights also make it easier to read sheet music at the piano. Holiday lighting may even serve as a temporary accent light to highlight decorations.

You’ll find accent lighting in art galleries and museums when you notice a light illuminating a piece of artwork. You may see an accent light highlighting a water feature when you pull up to a restaurant. This type of lighting draws your eye to something worth admiring.

Creating Layers

Imagine sitting in a living room with one bright overhead light. You probably wouldn\’t want to stay there for very long. Now imagine the same room with an overhead light, a few decorative side table lamps, and an accent light highlighting a painting on the wall. Creating layers of light in your home or commercial space will help it serve a variety of purposes.

A well-lit room will have multiple layers of lighting. Start big and consider the general lighting first. After you\’ve determined the main lighting, then consider the details. Make a list of how you use each room and anything you want to highlight. A professional can help you determine what lighting will meet your needs.

Hire an Electrician

Lighting is complicated. For example, a recessed light could serve multiple purposes. If it shines light down from the ceiling to evenly illuminate the room, it\’s general lighting. However, if it\’s angled at a piece of artwork on the wall, it\’s accent lighting. Both are recessed lighting, but they serve very different purposes in lighting your home.

Trust the professionals to help with everything from installing a ceiling fan to changing the entire lighting system in your home or commercial property. Contact Turn It On Electric today to learn more about using the different types of lights to increase your comfort and productivity.