Choosing a Professional Landscape Lighting Company Provides Safety and Peace-of-Mind When it Comes to Your St. Louis Landscape Lighting
Hiring a professional St. Louis landscape lighting company can mean the difference between safe, beautiful lighting, and a potentially devastating accident. While most landscape lighting systems are low voltage, some types of light do emit significant heat. Just like any other electrified heat source, some safety precautions are necessary. It is essential to know what kind of landscape lighting system you have and to take the extra steps to keep your home protected and your family safe.
Can halogen lights catch fire?
While most halogen lights will not catch fire on their own, they can set fire to the surrounding landscape in the right conditions. Traditional halogen bulbs use a large amount of electricity, about 80% more than their LED counterparts, and much of that energy is wasted as heat emission. So, should halogen bulbs be installed in the incorrect fixtures or come in direct contact with any organic material likes plants and mulch, there is a distinct chance these bulbs will set fire to these natural landscaping components. Indeed, mulch fires are not uncommon with traditional bulbs. In contrast, LED bulbs emit dramatically less heat, use less energy, and will last significantly longer.
Halogen Can Be Hazardous
If your landscape lighting system is more than a few years old, there is a good chance it is a Halogen system. Halogen is low-voltage, but it uses approximately 80% more energy than an LED system. That 80% more energy is enough to generate the amount of heat needed to cause a fire in dry mulch or landscape clippings if not properly installed and maintained.
We recently served a client who experienced a scary moment when their freshly installed mulch caught fire due to a landscape light.
How Does Mulch Catch Fire From a Light?
A Halogen well-light without a lens cover was accidentally buried in fresh mulch. When the lights came on at night, the heat generated from the light became warm enough to ignite the mulch.
How to Avoid a Landscape or Mulch Fire Due to Landscape Lighting
It is important to remember that this fire hazard is easy to avoid if you take the proper steps.
- Always clean your landscape lights after spreading mulch in your landscape beds. This not only helps your landscape lighting design maintain its stunning beauty and integrity, but it also allows you to rest-assured the mulch is not going to get too hot.
If you have well-lights, please, make sure they have lens covers. If your well-lights do NOT have lens covers, call our team today. We can help!- If you have a Halogen system, it could be time to upgrade to LED. LED lights use 80% less energy than Halogen, emit less heat, and the bulbs last 10x longer! Most Halogen systems can be upgraded to LED by our expert outdoor lighting team.
We recommend that you always use an outdoor lighting company for all of your landscape lighting needs. Some businesses that offer landscape lighting installation and service have focused training on other landscaping services and could potentially miss important safety features during lighting installation.
There is nothing quite like fresh mulch to freshen up your St. Louis landscape in the spring. If you have a landscape lighting system, it is important to keep those lights clear of mulch and have proper lens covers. If you have any questions about the safety of your landscape lighting system, need lens covers, or are considering an LED upgrade, give our team a call today! We offer complimentary consultations and look forward to working with you.
