COPYRIGHT 2017 JAMES DULLEY ( www.dulley.com/sea/ ) - May 2017 - (graphics ref. No. 286u at www.dulley.com/sea/column/2017-may.htm )

"How to improve outdoor lighting for security and entertaining"

Dear Jim: I want to improve my outdoor lighting for better security and when entertaining. I want to do it efficiently and do some of the work myself to lower the cost. What are some outdoor lighting tips? - Tom G.

Dear Tom: It is important to plan your outdoor lighting scheme or it may increase your electric bills significantly. Keep in mind that the best lighting plan for security is not always the best for entertaining. It would be wise to make two lighting layouts on different switched circuits. Study electrical codes and follow them - never attempt shortcuts!

You can calculate how much it costs to operate outdoor lights per day, first total the wattages of all the bulbs. Multiply this total by eight hours and then multiply by your electric rate ($ per kilowatt-hour). Divide this by 10 to get the number of cents per day. You might be surprised at the total.

People often think that brighter lights provide better security. Actually lower lighting levels are more effective. This is because it is difficult for the human eye to quickly adjust from a very bright area to a darker area. If the lighting is less bright, it is often easier to see and pick up movement in the darker areas where someone might be hiding.

Before considering more security lighting, walk around your house and look for spots where someone might hide. Do this at night because street lights or neighbors' lights might already provide adequate brightness. Try to minimize light pollution by following tips from the International Dark-Sky Association, www.darksky.org. Just a tall landscaping light can be effective.

Wall lanterns by a front door or garage are effective for welcoming guests and for security. When using just one by each door, the fixture size should be one-third the door height. When using a pair of lighting, each should be one-quarter the door height. This might sound large, but from the street, they typically appear to be about one-half their actual size.

CFL (compact fluorescent lights) and LED (light emitting diodes) produce much more light output per watt than standard incandescent bulbs. For example, an L22 array LED fixture uses less than 25 watts to produce the same light output as a 100-watt incandescent bulb (approx. 1,800 lumens).

The life of LED bulb is up to 50,000 hours. For this reason, they are often built into the light fixture and the bulb is not replaceable.  The fixture will likely degrade or break before the bulb burns out.

LED's are not affected by outdoor temperatures. CFL's require some time to reach full brightness, particularly at cold temperatures. When using LED's, use ones with a color temperature less than 3,000 degrees K. Higher temperature, whiter light output causes glare and can disrupt human's circadian rhythms at night.

Many people still choose to use PAR38 floodlight bulbs. Halogen ones are about 25 percent more efficient than standard incandescents. Be sure to check the beam angle for each bulb. It can range from just nine degrees to 40 degrees for similar-looking bulbs. The beam angle determines how much area is illuminated and its intensity.

Motion-sensing lights are the most efficient and effective for security. When the light comes on, a thief assumes he has been seen. Select ones with two-level lighting. Switch it on for low-level background lighting and it only switches to full brightness when motion is detected. If you have an existing floodlight, add an inexpensive motion-sensing device to it.

Solar-powered LED motion-sensing models are the easiest to install yourself. Any type of floodlights should ideally be located nine feet above the ground to be most effective.

The following companies offer efficient outdoor lighting: Energy Focus, (800) 327-7877, www.energyfocusinc.com; Philips-Hadco, (800) 372-3331, www.hadcolighting.com; Idaho Wood, (800) 635-1100, www.idahowood.com; Kim Lighting, (626) 968-5666, www.kimlighting.com; and Wave Lighting, (877) 870-9283, www.wavelightingusa.com.

Dear Jim: I just installed foil-faced fiberglass batt insulation on the attic floor. I have several extra rolls of insulation. Can I just roll out a second layer for double the savings? - Randi T.

Dear Randi: If you installed the recommended R-value level of insulation, you are probably better off returning the extra insulation for a refund. As you add more insulation, the additional savings per inch thickness diminishes.

If you cannot return it, it will help some to add a second layer on the floor. Make sure to cut slits in the foil facing in many spots. This stops moisture from collecting and condensing between the layers.

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Publication Name, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.