Light up your 'outdoor' life

Good landscape lighting creates an inviting outdoor atmosphere, increases the value of your home, discourages would-be intruders and stands the test of time. Bad lighting can leave your yard a graveyard of broken lights and exposed wiring.

Landscape lighting is about more than pathway lights. Lighting done right brings your yard to life with highlights, shadows, silhouettes and "moonlighting" (soft downlighting, from above). While planning your own night-scaping, drive around the neighborhood at night to get a feel for the possibilities and what might work in your yard.

Ready to shop for lights? Keep this rule of thumb in mind: You get what you pay for. The market is saturated with products ranging widely in price but in this area, quality is king.

Solar lights are cheap and easy but often give the effect of blue fireflies floating in glass boxes, creating little light.

Home-improvement store low-voltage lights come in attractive styles and don't cost much, but they cost even less to make and can last as little as a year or two. These lights glow brighter than their insect-reminiscent friends but fail to direct light in an appealing way.

Quality, commercial-grade, low-voltage lights are constructed of copper or high grade aluminum. While costly, these lights are tough and attractive, designed to create great lighting schemes, and carry a lengthy warranty; as much as 10 years or longer.

Ask your installer what brand he uses and get online to check out warranty information. Call a local distributor, such as Ewing Irrigation, for brand specific information and advice.

Be sure that your installer is a licensed contractor. Don't take chances on an investment this size. Does your installer sound knowledgeable? A bad install job is sure to leave you with failed wiring connections and damaged wiring due to exposure to moisture, regardless of the quality of the system.

Do-it-yourselfers are encouraged not to do this yourself. Lighting is a science. You can read up but the results will be disappointing and, ultimately, more expensive than hiring a qualified professional.

A quality lighting system is a crucial step in creating your outdoor sanctuary. Do it right the first time and enjoy the ambience for many years to come.

Allen and Brittney Walker are residents of Chandler. Allen owns Green Dreamin' LLC landscape repair, servicing Ahwatukee Foothills and the East Valley, and Brittney is a local writer. Reach them at (480) 862-4647 or awalker@greendreamin.com.