Professional grade outdoor lighting consists of sturdy, durable components, but like all mechanical systems, they require regular maintenance to remain in top shape. At least once per year, your lighting network should receive a thorough inspection, especially after a season of heavy weather events. Below is a checklist guide to help you with your lighting maintenance.
1. Visual
Either at dusk or before dawn, turn the lights on, or allow them to come on if they are on automatic timers. Then walk the property to see if all lights are functioning. Verify the lights are still illuminating the selected features as desired. Look for landscaping plants or tree limbs that may be obscuring the fixtures.
2. Switches
If you have any battery-powered devices, such as remotes and digital timers, this is a great time to replace those batteries. Inspect all controls, wired and wireless, especially if any of the lights failed to work during your night inspection. Make sure the timers are still set properly and photocells still respond to light and dark.
3. Clean Lenses
Lenses take on dirt and water stains over time. You should gently wash them to restore their transparency. Any lenses that have become opaque should be scheduled for replacement. While inspecting individual lights, trim back any plants that obstruct the fixtures.
4. Leaning Fixtures
Take a small level with you to re-set any leaning or toppled ground fixtures. You might need to re-align them once it's dark enough to see their lighting patterns.
5. Bulbs
Replace any burned out bulbs, but be certain it's the bulb and not an electrical disconnection first. Be sure to use the same wattage for the replacement bulbs so that the voltage across the circuit remains balanced.
6. Wires
Check for resurfaced wiring. Be sure the plastic insulation entirely covers the wires. Any wires with breaks in the insulating tube need to be replaced. If they are otherwise fine, re-bury them. For tree-mounted lights, make sure the brackets and wiring are still firmly attached. Also, check to see if the tree is beginning to grow around the hardware. If it is, you'll need to dislodge and re-secure the fixture or wiring.
7. Transformers
Tighten the lugs in the transformers. These can loosen over time which can eventually cause arcing, and that is definitely not good. Check the voltages and amperages in the primary and secondary transformers and compare these to the readings taken at installation. They should be the same. If they're not, you should call your installer. You can also call Outdoor Lighting Perspectives even if your system was not installed by us and is out of its original warranty. Irregular readings in the transformers could indicate a problem. This maintenance task should be diagnosed and repaired as quickly as possible.
If Outdoor Lighting Perspectives installed your system within the last year, you already have a worry-free maintenance plan. We'll take care of all your maintenance needs for one full year after installation. You then have the option to pay a reasonable fee to receive continued maintenance by our expert team. If you encounter troublesome issues during your routine check-up and your system is not from us, no problem! Contact us anyway. We'd be happy to troubleshoot and repair your system for you. Call us today and rest easy knowing Outdoor Lighting Perspectives is on the way.
