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5 tips to help you choose outdoor lighting

When choosing outdoor lighting for a building, you should take several factors into account - the choice should not be made solely on the basis of your taste. The safety and comfort of users are the aspects that should be considered first when deciding on the purchase and arrangement of lamps. We'd like to give you some practical tips to help you choose the appropriate outdoor lighting system for your building.

5 tips to help you choose outdoor lighting - 1

Lamps in the soffit
The façade, terrace and partly also the garden can be effectively lit using a set of LED lamps placed in the soffit, such as Kanlux IMBER LED. The most effective solution is fixtures mounted at equal distances, but LED strips are also used for this purpose. Their installation is not difficult, but you should consider having it done by an electrician, especially if children play around the building. A selection of LED strips gives us the ability to adjust lighting to various weather conditions and spaces. The strips can be concealed in the soffit in aluminium profiles, which will provide additional protection for the strips and perform an aesthetic function. 
If you want to illuminate the elements around your house as well, choose rope lights, e.g: Kanlux GIVRO.

 

In-ground fittings 
In-ground lighting fittings, such as Kanlux BERG, are becoming more and more popular. In-ground lamps that are mounted in a driveway or pavement direct the light beam upwards or towards the façade, which is why the emitted light shouldn't be too bright in order not to blind people passing by the lamps. Another extremely important aspects of such fixtures are IP and IK parameters. The first one specifies the tightness of the lamp, whereas the second - its resistance to impact and other external mechanical damage.
 

 

Entrance lighting activated by the motion detector
The area around your front door also requires a reliable lighting system. However, it doesn't have to work all the time, so it's best to choose a fixture with a motion detector. This will help you eliminate unnecessary energy consumption, and the light will always go on when you need it. You can choose between fixtures with a replaceable or non-replaceable LED light source.
This may be of interest to you: Replaceable or non-replaceable light source – which fixture to choose?

 

Wall lamps on the façade
The most popular types of fixtures mounted on a building facade include wall lamps such as Kanlux BISO or Kanlux GARTO. Usually, they are used to illuminate the entrance to the house or terrace. Most of them are turned on using a switch located inside the house, but installations activated at a designated time or by a twilight sensor are also gaining in popularity. Wall lamps used outdoors are exposed to all types of adverse weather conditions. Therefore, choose those that are made of durable materials and have a higher tightness class (at least IP44) to protect the fixture against moisture.
Such wall lamps should both light up the facade of your house at night and decorate it during the day.

 

LED lamps and solar power
LED lamps have been the light source of choice for years. They are energy efficient and effective, and a wide selection of options allows you to choose the colour of the light adjusted, e.g., to the colour of your facade. Outdoor solar lighting systems are also quite popular. The principle is simple - photovoltaic panels provide electricity to the battery, which after dark gives off the accumulated energy, providing lighting for the building. When choosing this option, select products offered by proven manufacturers who install batteries with optimal capacity. The combination of LED lamps and a free source of solar energy is the most energy-efficient solution imaginable.

 

Floodlights
Until recently, floodlights were only associated with repairs or large areas. However, smaller ones with lower power values are perfect for home gardens or when directed to the facade of the house. They make it possible to effectively illuminate dark places, which increases the sense of security and can be an element of protection against burglary.
However, they should also decorate the illuminated space. Thanks to the use of LED floodlights, you can emphasise the architecture of your house and highlight the most beautiful elements of the facade or some sophisticated details. It is worth considering whether to incorporate such a solution into the space around the house.
See how we test our floodlights to make sure they are safe to use: Kanlux ANTEM LED floodlight.

 

The above hints combine elegance, reliability and energy efficiency. As far as outdoor lighting is concerned, a properly lit façade and building entrance is the absolute minimum. However, the addition of in-ground lamps and spotlights in the soffit will be useful and it will make your house look aesthetically pleasing.
 

 


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