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Posts Tagged ‘porch lighting’

Outdoor Chandeliers ~ideas and location

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Hello! And WELCOME to Outdoor Chandelier Light. Below you will find outside lighting tips, ranging from safety issues to planning ideas. From small decks to large porches, to sun rooms and gazebos, an outdoor chandelier is a perfect way to make those special evenings even more memorable.

  • From running our log home construction business for the last 13 years, and answering many homeowner questions, here are a few tips I would like to pass on…

CHANDELIER FEATURES:

Whenever choosing outdoor chandeliers~

1. Be sure it is UP approved for outside and wet/damp locations.

2. An outside chandelier should come with sealed circuitry, a switch which is rubber coated, and a heavy outdoor cord which has a grounded plug.

3. Whenever a chandelier is exposed to more weather, i.e. in a shallow outdoor entry, choosing one with waterproof glass shades is not a bad idea.

4. Lastly, if you want one with fabric shades, be sure the shades are made from a weather resistant fabric or material.

LOCATION:

Deck or porch lighting~

Beyond safety and weather durability of outdoor chandeliers, you also should consider where you are planning to place your new light. When a chandelier is located over a table, a down light included in the chandelier is very helpful. Gazebo lights~ Many gazebos have a steeper pitch to the roof. Here is a perfect place to incorporate a “taller” chandelier, one with more height. (Not usually as viable of a choice with a normal porch ceiling height.) Sun room lighting~ Sun rooms and solariums are another wise place to utilize a outdoor rated light fixture. Especially in the case that the sun room has extensive plants or a hot tub, the extra humidity can be very taxing on a chandelier not rated for outside, damp use. Low voltage lighting~ Turn your outside space even more “GREEN” with a low voltage outdoor chandelier. There are two prime advantages to a low voltage light- 1. the lower energy consumption, and 2. low voltage is a more stable light source than a solar powered light. Solar lights can tend to grow dim. BUT MOST OF ALL: Your outside chandelier should reflect the overall character of you and your exterior home design. There are numerous choices out there, from rustic log cabins to beach motif, and contemporary to classic. Whatever YOUR choice, have fun with it and turn your area into somewhere you want to linger just a little bit longer…
Excerpt

Outdoor Chandelier Safety

Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Hellthree light chandelier with sealed glass o! and WELCOME to Outdoor Chandelier Light. Through this site we strive to offer homeowners and future homeowners some outside lighting tips. Ranging from safety to sunrooms, and low voltage lighting to low overhead porches, here are some ideas that we have to share… Take a look and feel free to post a question or comment.
Only use a chandelier that is rated for outdoor use. Too many accidents today result from people not using things for their intended purpose.
  • For example…My dad drives 1988 pickup truck that is used for everything other than what a typically truck has to endure. I have seen him back into two buildings and a frost free water hydrant in a weeks time, drive over MILES of rutted farm roads pulling a hay wagon “because it has a radio”, and herd horses with it. But the funniest is when he thinks it is a TANK! With the snow where he lives, he hooks up his snow plow and takes off. I have seen him plow his way across an open field, plow out every neighbor within 2 miles, plow down the neighbor’s new trees (much to the neighbor’s dismay), and even tow the state snow plow truck up the hill when it got stuck. Needless to say our once new 1988 truck no longer looks new. One time he even had the thing jump out of gear and go over the hill with two hay wagons behind it, wiping out two wooden fence lines and a gate… Oh well.

 

 This being said, don’t try to cut corners and save a nickel by choosing a light that is not meant for outdoor use.

It is easy to be tempted to choose one not rated for outdoors when it is going to be on a covered porch, sunroom, or in a doorway.
But please, go the extra mile and be sure that you get one that is UL approved for outside and wet/damp locations. If you think about it, there are times when the wind can carry rain and snow much farther than any of us would think possible. So make sure you are prepared for those times.
 
Additionally an outdoor chandelier should come with sealed circuitry, a rubber coated switch, and heavy duty outdoor cord with ground. Weather resistant shade material or waterproof glass shades are not a bad idea either.
Whatever your choice, be conscious of the others in your life and their safety as well.
Sue