If there is one thing that Sarasota area homeowners love, it is the ability to spend so much of our lives outdoors in our beautiful weather. One of the best thing about South Florida weather is that we can be outside on our backyards and patios even after the sun goes down. This makes outdoor living spaces very popular for family dinners, entertaining, or just enjoying a balmy evening. Installing deck lighting and outdoor outlets can enhance your home and even increase your home’s value. This winter is a great time to look at installing these features, as we typically have no rain for several months and the project can be completed without interruption.
There are many creative options for deck lighting that can both look beautiful and enhance the security of your property as well. Additional outdoor outlets can offer more opportunities for adding holiday lights or add outdoor appliances.
Deck Lighting Inspiration
- Deck Stair Lights or Step Lighting: Walking up and down steps in the dark can be dangerous, but illuminating them can add a level of safety as well as adding to the aesthetic value of your home. One option is to install lights on the vertical surface of each stair step. Another is to place the lights under the lip of each step and shines down onto the step below. These types of lights are perfect if you are looking to add safety to your stairs but not diminish your view of the moon and stars.
- Recessed Lighting: Recessed lighting can be an effective option for large overhangs over your deck. It provides excellent illumination to the area below and can be focused on specific areas that you wish to either spotlight or provide additional visibility. Recessed lighting installed under your deck is only recommended if the area above is covered.
- Deck Rail Lighting: This type of lighting is also a popular option. Rail illumination can be installed flush into your deck rails, rendering them invisible to the people sitting on the deck (other than the light they shine.)Instead, the light is pointed downwards toward the stairs and also allow people to clearly see the railings.
- Deck Post Lighting: There are many different options when it comes to deck post lighting. You can choose from copper, aluminum or stainless steel in a variety of colors and styles. This allows you to install an aesthetically pleasing and decorative lighting system which looks great even during the day. Deck post lights should be focused downward, once again to light up the walkway or stairs after dark. Deck post lighting is both easy to install and fits into most budgets. However, if you are a stargazer, you may not appreciate the deck post lights ability to limit your view.
Outdoor Outlets
According to the National Electrical Code, ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) circuits must be installed in any outdoor area. GFCI circuits are designed to protect against water coming in contact with electrical current, and should have WR (weather resistant) written on the the circuit. A GFCI circuit can be identified by the two buttons present on its face – ‘test’ and ‘reset’.
Important: If you buy a property that has the main electric outlets installed, do not assume the configuration and wiring is safe. Call a professional electrician for an inspection of your electrical system to ensure everything is properly installed.
If you are looking to add deck lighting or additional outdoor electrical capacity to your home, call Promise Electric today. We can help you to design, plan and install your ideal outdoor living space before next summer.
