A beautiful landscape lighting system adds elegance and curb appeal to any home. But it comes with its challenges. High-quality products, optimal installation techniques, and regular care can help homeowners avoid the most common landscape lighting repair problems.
Landscape lights are constantly exposed to the elements, including sun and water. Over time, they can develop rust or break easily. Contact Landscape Lighting Repair Orlando now!
Light bulbs burn out at some point, and replacing the faulty bulb is easy. But if you constantly add “change light bulb” to your landscape maintenance routine, that’s a sign of deeper problems with your outdoor lighting system.
Your lights live on the front lines of the outdoors, and they take a beating from everything from stray soccer balls to curious critters to errant lawnmowers. These impacts can crack casings, dislodge bulbs or sever wires. They also can cause electrical shorts, which result when electricity arcs inside your landscape lighting system.
These shorts are usually caused by poor wiring, and they can be very dangerous. They can melt insulation on the direct burial wire used to power your landscape lighting, and they can even start a fire.
If you’re experiencing frequent shorts, it’s best to contact a professional right away. They’ll be able to diagnose and repair the problem before it gets worse.
Other issues that can lead to frequently burning out bulbs include using the wrong wattage for your fixtures (a common mistake), improperly screwing in the bulb, and using old, faulty bulbs. You should also keep in mind that lower-quality bulbs tend to have shorter lifespans than higher-quality ones.
Another issue that could be causing your lights to burn out is a bad socket. You can fix this by checking to make sure the bulb is fully seated in the socket and that the tab on the base of the bulb is angled up and connecting with the socket. If you’re noticing flickering, this is a good indicator that the connection is loose.
A final thing to look for is corrosion on the fixture itself. If you see any rust, corroded areas or a general lack of care on your fixtures, it’s time to replace them. A new set of fixtures will be better suited to the demands of the outdoors, and they’ll be much more likely to last for a long time.
Damaged Wiring
Landscape lighting enhances the beauty of your home’s exterior during the night, and it offers an added benefit of safety by increasing visibility and eliminating dark spots where prowlers and unwanted guests may hide. However, your lights will only continue to provide value if they are kept in working condition. The good news is that a few simple maintenance tasks can help to keep your lighting system in peak working condition.
One of the most common reasons for your landscape lights to stop working is due to a damaged wire. You will need to repair or replace the wire if you find any nicks, cuts, or exposed portions of it. Liquid electrical tape can be used for minor cuts or nicks if the insulation has not been completely compromised. If you are skilled with a soldering iron, you can also splice the wires by stripping their ends, twisting them together, and tinning the connection with a small amount of solder. Once the solder has cooled, you can then cover the splice with heat-shrink tubing to prevent any further damage.
It’s important to remember that the total wattage of your lighting fixtures should not exceed 80% of the transformer’s capacity. Otherwise, the breaker may trip and cause your light fixture to stop working. To help prevent this, we recommend using high quality professional lighting fixtures that are built to withstand the elements, and reducing the number of fixtures that you have on a single circuit.
If you have multiple lights plugged into a single outlet, you should consider moving the less electricity-hungry ones to another outlet to prevent overworking your breaker. If this does not resolve the issue, you may need to replace your light bulb or socket.
If you have been having trouble with your landscape lights, don’t hesitate to contact Houston Lightscapes for lighting repairs. With more than three decades of experience, we know how to install and repair your outdoor lighting in ways that will ensure it continues to shine beautifully year-round. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!
Corrosion
Landscape lighting can do so much to accentuate your home’s beauty at night, but the fixtures themselves are vulnerable to a variety of problems over time. Some of these issues can be solved with a little TLC, while others require the assistance of an experienced electrician to fix properly.
A common problem is corrosion. Corrosion is when metals revert to their natural state, causing them to lose their structural integrity and no longer function as intended. This can be caused by environmental factors such as water and oxygen, or from damage to the surface of the fixture due to trauma.
It’s important to inspect your landscape lighting system regularly, especially after a hurricane or other major weather event. This is because saltwater can eat through wiring insulation, leaving them exposed and vulnerable to short circuits and other issues.
Loose connections are another common problem. This can happen through wear and tear, aging of the connectors, or from improper installation. It’s important to use waterproof connectors, follow proper installation techniques, and tighten loose connections as needed.
If a fixture isn’t threading back into its ground stake correctly, or if the wires are twisted together and unable to pull away from the fixture, it’s likely because there is corrosion around the terminal block screw. Over time, this can cause electrical “arcing,” which can melt the connections and lead to a fire. This is a dangerous issue, and one that should be addressed immediately by a professional electrician.
It’s also possible that there’s a problem with the transformer itself, which requires the attention of an experienced electrician. Oftentimes, a loose terminal block screw is the culprit here as well. As electricity jumps across the connection, it creates heat that can cause damage to the transformer and eventually result in a fire. A simple screwdriver can fix this by tightening the terminal block screw.
It’s important to keep your landscape lights functioning, as they can greatly increase the value of your property and enhance your home’s safety and security. To avoid costly repairs and replacements, it’s vital to have any problematic landscape lighting components fixed quickly. An expert landscape lighting repair service can help you determine what’s causing the problems and recommend any necessary repairs or upgrades.
Poor Design
During the planning phase for your landscape lighting project, you probably spent time creating the perfect balance and theme for your outdoor space. Then, you compiled that plan into a master document and rolled it up to save for future reference. However, when the winter winds blow and your landscaping lights begin to flicker or burn out, you may find that there was a flaw in your design.
The most common problem that affects the functionality of a landscape lighting system is when a fixture’s internal lamp doesn’t come on or burns out. The underlying problem here is that the fixture wasn’t designed to function as it should, and this often happens due to improper installation or incorrect bulbs.
Homeowners can help prevent this from occurring by performing regular maintenance on their landscape lighting systems. This includes examining the fixtures, wires, and connections for any signs of wear and tear or damage. It also includes periodically replacing burned-out bulbs and repositioning lights to account for changes in the surrounding landscape.
Another common problem that affects the functionality of landscape lighting is voltage drop. This occurs when a wire’s ability to maintain a consistent flow of electricity decreases as it extends from the transformer. It can lead to tripping and flickering lights. Homeowners can avoid this by having a professional landscape lighting technician install a sub-panel to supplement the main panel circuit.
Wire connections are one of the most crucial aspects of a functional and safe landscape lighting system. A failure to adhere to strict safety standards, including the proper gauge of wire and connector size, will result in a host of problems, from inconsistent lighting to hot spots and even fires. A landscape lighting technician can ensure that all of your wires are adequately sized and secured to protect against moisture.
Another important consideration when maintaining your landscape lighting is to rebury exposed wires. Electrical wires that are buried in the ground are susceptible to damage from pets or children digging around the area, as well as harsh weather over time. This can leave the wires vulnerable to corroding and can cause tripping hazards. Using waterproof connectors – specifically designed for low-voltage underground splices – is the best way to protect against this issue.