What to Include in Your Annual Landscape Lighting Maintenance Check

You did it! You installed a landscape lighting system to enjoy your property at night. Before you kick your feet back at the campfire, remember that proper maintenance and care for your outdoor lighting system is vital to keeping your investment lasting you for years. Schedule your annual maintenance checks in advance so the turn of the year doesn’t catch you by surprise with a costly repairs or unexpected lead times.

Performing a Maintenance Check Yourself

Perform a landscape lighting maintenance check on your own. Follow these steps to make sure you get everything part of your system inspected correctly.

  1. Cut Back Plants

    1. Check your plants. Naturally, when a lighting system is placed in nature, plants can and likely will, interfere with the lighting design. So trim bushes, cut back trees, and pull weeds regularly to avoid interference with lighting systems and make maintenance an easier task.

  2. Clean the Fixtures and Glass

    1. Dirt and bug buildup can dim the lights’ cast over time and be a potential fire hazard on older fixtures, so clean them off with a wet rag. Opt for a soft toothbrush and vinegar for tough-to-clean messes.

  3. Check Your Electric Connection

    1. Pets, children, and yard projects can expose wires above the ground’s surface. Check for damage to these wires before reburying them. While you’re there, check that all electrical connectors are tightly secure and safe. 

  4. Check Light Fixtures

    1. The elements can jostle fixtures out of place. Readjust them to cast the lighting in the appropriate direction and inspect for damage and dents. Keep in mind that your plants will grow over time, so you can adjust your lights to cast on the appropriate part for a beautifully aesthetic vision. For example, you should cast light on a tree’s trunk in the wintertime, not on it’s bare branches.

  5. Check Bulbs

    1. Modern day lighting setups tend to have LED lamps, but if you happen to have an older system, the bulbs may naturally dim over time. You can hire a contractor to or replace / update these bulbs on your own to maintain a glow on your property.

Hire Professionals to Perform Maintenance Checks

When we visit we will do the following.

  1. We will remove debris, plants, rocks, and mulch that is interfering with the lighting.

  2. We will clean dirt and bugs from lenses, bulbs, fixtures, and glass.

  3. We will check your fixtures to make sure that they’re still in line with the design we set up for you. We’ll also recommend additions or improvements as technology advances through the years.

  4. We will straighten and adjust fixtures.

  5. We will check all electric and wiring connections and check for proper voltage.

  6. We will check your automatic timers and the operating system.

  7. We will replace lamps, when necessary.

  8. Advisement and updates to existing designs are good conversations to have at this time.  If Landscapes and Design Ideas change, so should your lighting system

All of these steps can be followed to ensure that you perform the correct maintenance steps on your outdoor landscape lighting system. Questions, comments, or concerns on your lighting system? Give us a call at (402) 204-0944.




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