Tips for Exterior Lighting and How to Keep Safe During the Winter

As the days get shorter and the nights longer, having exterior lighting is more important than ever. Whether you own an office building or an apartment building, you need to make sure that the office workers or apartment tenants stay safe. People will be leaving work when it’s dark, and ice and snow can create dangerous situations.

Exterior lights should be placed along all walkways around your building, by steps, and near the entrance. Having lights near the entrance will make the building look more welcoming. You also want lights in the parking lot so that people can enter and leave their cars safely, and so that they can see where they are going (around one in five collisions occur in parking lots).

Lights should also be installed all around your building, especially near any entrance points. This will keep your building safe at night from intruders.

When installing exterior lighting, you need to consider a number of things. First of all, the outside surroundings usually don’t reflect light as much as indoor furniture. This can cause the light to shine heavily on one area without lighting up other areas. You want the light to cast a glow over a large swath of land. You also don’t want the lights to be too bright and end up shining through the building’s windows.

Of course, all exterior lights must be able to withstand the outdoor weather conditions such as rain, snow, heat, and frost.

Parking Lot Lighting Helps Customers Feel Safe

If you are a proud business owner, you certainly want to excel in your field. There are some very smart ways of doing this. You want to do things that bring repeat customers. You can accomplish with by, first and foremost, make your customers feel valued. Allow them to see that you understand the fact that without them, your business could not survive.  Do you want your customers to feel safe when they enter your parking lot? Of course you do. This is why adding quality lighting in your parking lot  is essential.

If you are establishing a rapport with your customers, then you likely know many of their names. This gives much more depth to the idea of keeping them safe. How can  quality parking lot lighting keep them safe you ask? Just think about the things that are happening in our world today. There are people who refuse to leave their own home after dusk. Wouldn’t it be gratifying to know they will still come out to visit your establishment, despite nightfall, simply because you’ve made their safety a priority? With the right lighting, customers will be worry-free of getting out of their cars to come inside, because any danger lurking is visible.

Is Your Parking Lot Lighting Adequate?

There are many opinions as far as parking lot lighting is concerned. Many feel as if the lighting in a parking lot is sufficient if it simply exists, and others feel it should be very bright, and meet all of the needs of the people.

When considering an upgrade to your lighting system, there are many things to consider. For example: if your lighting has not been upgraded in many years, you may want to consider the five basic questions below, and then decide if you need to upgrade your lighting system:

  • Intensity of the lighting: how bright are your lights?
  • Uniformity of lighting: how consistent is the light level throughout the lighted area?
  • Color of lighting: how accurately does the lighting show colors?
  • Efficiency of lighting: how much light per watt of electricity does the lighting system give?
  • Lamp life: How long do the lamps last before they will have to be replaced?

If you follow the suggested list above, you will be well on your way to ensuring that your lighting is up to date, and safe for anyone who enters your parking lot. Following this list will ensure that your lighting meets all the needs of the people.

Many business choose to wait until the lighting is not working to replace them. This is not a wise idea. Updating your system with brighter lighting will ensure your parking lot is running smoothly and is at the ultimate level of safety for your staff, and customers.

Protect Your Customers, Protect Your Business

You want to protect your business, and you also want your customers to feel safe.  How can you accomplish that with a minimum of expense?  Parking lot lighting can go a long way toward all these ends when done properly.

Protect Your Business

Outside lights are a big deterrent to criminals.  The LAPD lists outdoor lighting as a way to protect your business, and the city of Charleston, SC calls lighting the “most cost-effective deterrent to crime.”  If the police are telling everyone that lighting is one of the best ways to keep criminals at bay, shouldn’t we listen?

Keep Your Customers Safe

Safety and security are not the same.  According to FacilitiesNet, Safety requires light to see tripping hazards, while security requires lighting that allows people to see faces, etc.  Both under-lighting and over-lighting increase certain risks.  That’s why it’s important to have a professional examine your space and work out the safest plan with a company that has nearly 10 years of experience.

Don’t Spend Too Much

Lighting is one of the least expensive options you have for adding security to your business.  Compared to a security company or lots of locks and bars on the windows, lighting is quite an appealing choice.  But what about running all those lights?  We use LED lights, which drastically cuts your costs.  Suddenly, you don’t have to worry about your wallet when it comes to lighting.

There are so many reasons to invest in outdoor lighting for your parking lot, we can only list a few here.

Save More Than You Expect by Using Solar LED Lighting

There are some really great savings when using solar-powered LED parking lot lighting.

The company saves a lot of time and money on installation.  No wire has to run underground to the lights.  Good money stays in your bank account just because it doesn’t have to pay for the wire.  Even more money stays with you because you don’t have to pay an electrician to lay the wire.  An additional benefit is the lack of a system of buried wires to deal with.

If a storm or accident knocks down a light, repair takes a lot less work.  The electrician bills for a lot less time and takes a lot less time too.  They do not have to find the breaker and shut down the outside lighting.  They do not have to replace wiring, a job that can easily cost more than when they originally installed it.  An added benefit is the fact that a downed pole carries no dangerous electrical charge.

Because LEDs use about ten percent of the power, the business owner would save a lot of money on power if it did tap the mains.  Solar lighting uses zero watts of metered electricity.

There is nothing for copper thieves to steal.  The business owner saves the cost of stolen copper, the cost of damage, and the cost of insuring against that damage.  Call that a hidden saving.  The business also saves on dealing with safety hazards caused by copper thieves leaving exposed hot wires.

In some areas there are also tax breaks and energy rebates for LED lighting, new and retrofit.

Invest In LED Parking Lot Lighting for its Impressive Reliability

Replacing light bulbs throughout your workplace can be a simple task to accomplish. However, when you have problems with parking lot lights, you generally have to rely on professional assistance. It is best to invest in LED parking lot lighting because it is such a reliable type of lighting.

Better Directed Lighting

LED lights are ideal, especially for parking lots because they excel at directed lighting. It is important to maximize the safety of your parking lot for your employees and customers. High-quality lighting will ensure that these people have safe passage to their vehicle and while driving through the parking lot.

Reliable Once Installed

When you invest in LED lighting for your parking lot, you get top-notch reliability. Not having to worry about lighting problems can be a huge relief, especially when you consider the fact that fixing a problem in the parking lot requires a lot more work than most other lighting issues.

Less Replacing Bulbs

Since LED lights last so long, you can replace your current bulbs and forget about replacements for a long time. Not having to replace bulbs as frequently leads to reduced costs on professional services.

Reduced Costs

In addition to saving money by not having to get professional help as often, your light bulbs will also last longer, which balance out the higher cost of LED light bulbs in comparison to the alternatives.

When you are willing to spend more in the beginning, you will enjoy savings in the long run.

3 Great Reasons to use LEDs for Parking Garage Lighting

LED lighting has benefits for every industry and every application. For example, if you manage a parking garage. Check out these 3 great reasons you should make LEDs your parking garage lighting solution.

Energy Savings: If your parking garage has underground or otherwise dimly lit sections, at least some of your lights have to be left on 24 hours a day. Even if your parking structure is fully above ground, for safety and convenience, you’ll need to leave the lights on from dusk ‘til dawn at the least. That much up time can quickly burn out conventional bulbs and add up to major utility costs. LED lights, on the other hand, are up to 85% more energy efficient than conventional bulbs, translating to major energy savings.

Instant On: Especially as the seasons change, setting the right time for your lights to turn on can be a pain. LED lights, unlike conventional bulbs, though, don’t require any warm-up time. This means you won’t have to guess the average time of sunset for the next few months and then subtract another 15 minutes or so to account for the lights warming up. Best of all, if you weren’t able to get the right time, if it’s a rainy day, or if you have a sensor system, your LED lights will instantly turn on to the proper brightness level.

Long Life: Running lights 24/7 will quickly burn out conventional bulbs. LEDs, on the other hand, last up to 5 times as long as conventional bulbs. This means you’re spending 5 times less on replacement bulbs, and you won’t have dangerous dark spots in your parking garage.

No matter what kind of business you operate, switching to LED lighting can save you a small fortune in utility bills.

 

Utilize Simple Changes to Save Money on Self-Storage Lighting

When it comes to self-storage expenses, lighting is usually a large portion of them, but it really depends on the lighting setup you have for your business. Fortunately, it is possible to turn this major expense into a minor one by making the correct changes to your self-storage lighting situation.

A few simple tips will give you more than enough knowledge to make a huge difference in costs.

Install Dimmers Inside

Depending on the day, you may need some light in your office because the natural sunlight is not enough to light effectively, but this does not mean you should have to use the maximum amount of light you can get from your lights. An easy fix is installing dimmers, which allow you to adjust how much lighting is produced. Being able to adjust the lighting to your specific needs will help you better control lighting costs.

Get Motion Sensor Lighting

Instead of having night lights on at all times, you can get motion sensor lighting to give you, your employees, and your customers the light they need to traverse through your facility safely. It is a very energy-efficient way to use lighting as it is only used when there are people around.

Use Globe Fixtures for Outdoors

In order to maximize the light you get on facility grounds, you should look into globe fixtures, as this will produce reliable area-of-effect lighting. It is an addition that will prevent you from needing so many lights, which is another great way to save money, but while also providing enough light to those in need.

While these methods will definitely help you save money, there are even more ways to reduce costs.

Parking Lot Lighting: Don’t Leave Customers In The Dark

If you operate or own a business, it’s important to protect the area, the building, and all of the employees. Installing parking lot lighting can protect your business from a safety and security standpoint. If you are running a business that does not have enough lighting, it may lead to receiving some unwanted attention from people who want to break in and steal your valuables.

Protect What Belongs To You

If your business property becomes one of those buildings that attracts the wrong kind, you may lose valuable computer equipment and other equipment your company uses to keep the daily operations running. Even if you have a security in place, there is no certainty that your building will not be broken into. It is recommended to have security systems installed, but it is also highly recommended to add adequate and quality parking lot lighting to lower the risk of unwanted criminal activities.

Protect Customers/Employees

Lighting in a parking lot will help ensure the safety of customers, pedestrians, and on goers. If people are walking in a dark parking lot, there may be some fear that someone can be hiding somewhere. With a well-lit parking lot, people will feel safer when they walk to or from their cars. You also want your employees to feel safe when they are walking to their cars after work. It can also be easier for people to have car accidents when they can’t see where they are going. Installing parking lot lighting can help prevent unnecessary accidents.

Can you imagine walking out of your building when it is dark, during those late nights? The lighting is weak, inadequate, and not all of the lights are working. What if you have forgotten where you parked? Would you feel safe walking through the parking lot, or would you wish someone would have walked with you?

You never know what kind of things can happen in a dim parking lot; that is why it is so important to have parking lot lighting. It can give people a sense of security. Everyone wants to feel safe, no matter where they are. Think of the people who make your business successful. You don’t want them to feel left out in the dark when they leave your building.

Self-Storage Lighting: How to Lower Operation Expenses with LED Lights

Running any kind of business can be a very rewarding experience.. but it can also be costly. It is important to look into opportunities for reducing overhead costs, and this is where self-storage lighting shines. While traditional lighting can be obtained at a fairly inexpensive price, the cons are hefty. Traditional lighting is subpar to newer types and it’s extremely expensive to run on a constant basis. As a result, it’s easy to see how you can benefit from making the switch to LED lighting. It’s a better alternative in just about every way.

Minimize One of Your Largest Costs

Having to light an entire complex (including inside the storage units themselves) can really eat into your profits. So reducing this expense is definitely something to aim for. Using LED lighting can save you up to 90% percent in energy costs. Being able to get this large percentage in savings means you can lower your overhead expenses for running a self-storage complex dramatically.

Provide a Better Experience for Tenants

It is not just important to look out for your expenses, but for the well-being of your tenants. Getting LED lighting is ideal as it provides better lighting compared to other options. Since many individuals happen to store valuable items inside their storage units, LED lights are perfect as they do not cause damage or discoloration to surfaces or objects. Possessing this single quality is very enticing to potential tenants, simply because they will not have to worry about valuables becoming devalued while in storage.

Help Tenants See Better at Nighttime

If your self-storage business is open at night, you likely understand the importance of high quality lighting, for both you and your tenants. It is best to provide sufficient lighting for your tenants as this will improve the overall safety and security of your complex, which can all be accomplished with LED lighting.