Don't Forget Your Charlotte Irrigation Winterization

As we enter into the month of November, it is hard to ignore the extra nip in the air. According to local forecasters, the Charlotte region will experience lows in the 30's this week, and cold fronts will be making their way up the east coast. If you haven't prepared for winter, now is a good time to do it because the cold temperatures are here to stay.

Part of preparing your home for the winter includes Charlotte irrigation winterization. Just like you would prepare other features of your home for the cold weather, your irrigation system should also be included.

"Charlotte homeowners should schedule their winterization services as soon as possible," said John Minor of Irrigation & Lighting Specialist. "Temperatures have already dropped below freezing, and it will only continue to get colder. It is very important to get your system winterized because it is the best way to protect it from damage."

Charlotte Irrigation Winterization Reminder

If you haven't noticed, the Charlotte region is full of transplants from other states. One of the main reasons people have been flocking to Charlotte is because of the nice weather we enjoy, especially compared to the harsh conditions in the northeast. 

While it is true that we experience mild winters, there is still a need for irrigation winterization. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states that Charlotte averages around 2.1 inches of snow each year. This many not sound like blizzard conditions, but it does mean that temperatures are low enough to damage your irrigation system if you avoid winterization. 

When temperatures are below freezing, it causes the remaining water in your pipes and sprinkler heads to freeze. As the water freezes, it expands and causes essential parts to your irrigation system to crack and spilt. This damage can be costly and will prevent your system from working properly in the spring. 

"Charlotte may have great weather, but don't think that there isn't a need for winterization," said Minor. "Winterization is far cheaper than irrigation repairs, and we don't want people to find that out the hard way. Call to schedule a winterization appointment now and avoid bigger problems in the future." 

For more information about our Charlotte irrigation winterization services or to schedule an appointment, call John Minor with Irrigation Lighting Specialist at 704-747-0235 or 803-831-0506 or email John. We look forward to protecting your irrigation system from Jack Frost this winter! 

Light Up the Night With These Outdoor Landscape Lighting Ideas

There is something special about owning a beautiful yard. Its charm welcomes you home. Its serenity tucks you in at night, and with the right outdoor landscape lighting - its style can set you apart.

Finding the right outdoor lighting technique for your outdoor space is more complicated than it may seem. It is more than just mounting a light over your porch or hanging a few lanterns. It takes creativity and craftsmanship. When outdoor landscape lighting is done correctly, it can unlock a world of potential and enchantment.

"When it comes to outdoor landscape lighting, there are tons of possibilities," says John Minor, owner of Irrigation & Lighting Specialist. "The key is to combine your personal tastes and try to extend it a little. Push yourself to think outside of the box. Before you know it, you will have an original design that will be the talk of the neighborhood."

Outdoor Landscape Lighting Ideas

Each yard has its own potential and its own charming attributes that need to be highlighted. Here are some ideas that you can use to find an outdoor landscaping design that is perfect for your yard. 

• Creating Shadows - With the right placement of your lighting, you can create shadows that are just as interesting as the lighting. One way you can do this is by placing your lights close to the foundation of your house or a feature you wish to highlight. The light will catch the edges and create an intricate shadow pattern. 
• Creating a Silhouette - With a mix of down and up lights, you can create a warm bath of light on your house that will show off its detail and beauty. Try adding light to the chimneys, dormers and surrounding trees to broaden your houses sense of space. 
• Creating Dramatic Doors - Instead of hanging a spotlight over your front door, try placing the lights behind pillars or off to the side. This will generate a sense of drama for the front door, especially if you have a narrow porch. If you have a wooden door that is dark, an amber lens in the light will make the door look even richer. 
• Cool Lighting - As far as outdoor lighting goes, moonlight is by far one of the most welcoming. To simulate moonlight, try using a softer, bluer lighting source. This can be accomplished by using a lighting source with a color temperature of 5500 kelvins. Doing this will create a soft, relaxing touch. 
• Adding Color and Texture - Path lights are visual aids in dark spaces, but they can also be used to add color and texture near interesting landscaping features. 
• Mix Styles- Take a walk on the wild side and try mixing up the styles of your lighting sources. Using different styles of path lights can change things up and provide an interesting flow to your yard. 
• Creating Dark Parameters - Less is usually more when it comes to outdoor landscape lighting. Try offset lights and make sure there is enough distance between them so you can lead the eye naturally through your landscape. After all, you are trying to add tranquial nuances in your yard, not land a plane.

"We take a different approach to outdoor landscape lighting than most companies," says Minor. "Our outdoor lighting designs focuses on what kind of lighting best matches the landscaping and beauty of your home, not just how you will use your home when the sun goes down. We feel that your outdoor landscape lighting should be more than a source of light; it should be a source of beauty and add style to your house." 

To get more outdoor landscape lighting ideas for your home, or to schedule an appointment, call John Minor at Irrigation and Lighting Specialist at 877-433-5833 or email John. We love helping our customers unlock the potential of their home's yard and giving them an outdoor lighting style all of their own!

Benefits of Professional Outdoor Lighting Installation

Ensuring the exterior of your house is just as beautiful as the interior is something all homeowners strive to do. Some invest in landscaping projects, while others concentrate on adding architectural details to the home's facade. However, they all share one thing in common - they want a beautiful home that is welcoming.

A project homeowners often overlook is adding professional outdoor lighting. When done correctly, outdoor lighting can make your home stand out and shine like a jewel once the sun goes down. In addition to the cosmetic advantages, this project also increases your property value and gives your home increased security. 

"A strong landscape lighting design is the ultimate combination of form and function," says John Minor, owner of Irrigation & Lighting Specialists. "When you hire a qualified contractor to design and install your lighting, you're doing more than simply adding some pretty lights. You are investing in your property."

Major Benefits of Professional Outdoor Lighting

It may seem like a good idea to handle the install yourself, but outdoor lighting is more than a weekend project - it is an art form. Our staff has the experience to ensure your home gets the beauty and functionality it deserves. Some of the major benefits of professional outdoor lighting include:

• The "Wow" Factor - It is no longer acceptable to just hang a bulb outside your window. Today's outdoor lighting perspectives create a strong visual presence. Adding a dramatic overhead light or illuminated water features add that "wow" factor to your property and highlight attractive landscaping that already exists. 
• Security - It is common knowledge that a well lit house can keep your home safe from burglars. It can also help you and your family safely move around your property at night. Illuminated walkways and walls can help you avoid trip hazards. They also create a safe and cozy atmosphere for you to entertain in. 
• Uniqueness - Having a custom outdoor lighting plan can showcase your house in beautiful yet subtle ways. A professionally designed lighting scheme can use light to accentuate your home's most beautiful elements and make your house stand out.
• Function - Charlotte provides excellent weather for outdoor entertaining, and landscape lighting can allow you to enjoy your outdoor living spaces well after dark. Custom lighting perspectives can also be used to create 'mood lighting' for your guests. 
• Go Green - Knowing when you can use certain lighting types and how to get the most out of its location can help you save on the power bill. When installed right, low-voltage lights and solar lights can illuminate up your house while keeping costs at a minimum. 

"Professionally installed outdoor lighting can do wonders for a home," says Minor. "Hiring a professional gives you access to ideas and materials you may not have known existed, opening up a world of possibilities. Professional installs also look more organic than most DIY kits you purchase from home improvement stores. In the end, you can't go wrong with a professional outdoor lighting design." 

To find out how professional outdoor lighting installations can bring you the ultimate combination of beauty and function, call John Minor with Irrigation & Lighting Specialists at 877-433-5833 or email John. We love helping Charlotte homeowners discover new ways to add beauty and function to their homes!

The Right Outdoor Lighting Perspectives for You

Flowers are blooming, temperatures are beautiful and summer is right around the corner  - it's that time of the year again! As the summer months move forward and the chilly weather moves out, the local hardware stores start getting crowded with customers gathering supplies for their last minute-sping projects.

In addition to building a new deck, planting a garden or adding color to an exterior wall, installing outdoor lighting has become a popular addition to the honey-do list.

There is more to installing outdoor lighting than just mounting a few lights over your garage or deck. It may be a good idea to consider having your lights installed by the professionals at Irrigation & Lighting Specialist before biting off more than you can chew. We can give you the right outdoor lighting perspectives you'll need to add a tasteful flare to the exterior of your house.

"I have seen it several times before, a homeowner tries to install outdoor lighting as a do-it-yourself project and they end up doing more harm than good," says John Minor of Irrigation & Lighting Specialist. "Installing outdoor lighting is like an art form. A lot has to go into it and doing it the right way is harder than one may think."

Unique Outdoor Lighting Methods

Irrigation & Lighting Specialist has lighting designers that concentrate on creating subtle overtures and nuances for your outdoor space. This approach ensures that outdoor lighting will increase your home's curb appeal, security and beauty instead of turning it into the Las Vegas Strip.

Proper outdoor lighting can add hours to your party or family fun, but a common mistake homeowners make is over-lighting. A little can go a long way when it is installed properly.

Too much light can create unwanted light pollution that can create glares, waste energy, wash out the view from the sky or shine into indoor rooms. We use the following outdoor lighting perspectives to prevent this happening to your home:

• Careful light positioning to predict where the majority of the light will shine. 
• Shielded bulbs that have reflectors to direct the light where you want it. 
• LED lighting to reduce harsh lighting and reduce the amount of energy your lights use. 
• Controlled lighting using timers, dimmers or motion sensors can control when and how your light is used depending on your needs. 

"Having a professional company install your outdoor lighting really makes a difference," says Minor. "We love taking our customers' outdoor spaces to new, beautiful levels. Avoid the crowded hardware stores, sit back and leave outdoor lighting to the professionals." 

To learn more about our outdoor lighting perspectives, call John Minor with Irrigation & Lighting Specialist at 877-433-5833 or email John. We look forward to creating a welcoming atmosphere you and your family can enjoy for years to come! 

Implementing Outdoor Lighting Principles: A Basic Guide for Charlotte Homeowners

Since outdoor lighting's debut in the landscaping industry, customers have been steadily exploring the possibilities of lighting outdoor spaces. Many designers implement distinct lighting principles to guide the illuminating process. These principles are used to evoke particular moods out of viewers. They are design elements that when applied correctly, turn the vision you have for your home's outdoor scene into an eye-popping sight.

Originally, homeowners implemented outdoor lighting as a security measure. Now, the market has come to the realization that outdoor lighting techniques are multifaceted. They can be used to enhance the usability of outdoor space, the value of landscape and the overall beauty of a home.

"Lighting what was once a dark space outside your home, creates a sort of magical feeling," says John Minor of Irrigation & Lighting Specialist. "When applied correctly, outdoor lighting principles can provide safety, aesthetic appeal, visual balance, and mood enhancement. All of this with the same system!"

Principles of Outdoor Lighting

Below are a few principles to keep in mind when designing an outdoor lighting system:

1. Depth - Refers to the how far of the viewer's gaze travels as they observe a home. The designer controls the viewer's gaze, and primary focus.


2. Perspective - Your outdoor space is a three dimensional canvas for light. You can create visual interest from different viewpoints.


3. Focal Points - Visual "destinations" or points of focus in the observation experience. Focal points are used to take the viewer through the landscape, step by step.


4. Quality and Direction - Using lights as if they are paint, and "painting" your landscape surrounding your home with various lighting intensities and directions to reach the desired mood and visual impact.
5. Symmetry and balance - Highlighting areas, structures, or parts of the home that have natural beauty.

We have developed our own signature system of applying these design principles. Under our new system we take a different approach, not only  focusing on  how you can use space outside your home after dark, but what kind of lighting delivers the absolute best accents to the landscape and beauty of your home.

For a limited time customers can add our outdoor landscaping and accent lighting at off-season, low prices!

To learn more about our outdoor lighting services or to schedule a free consultation, call John Minor of Irrigation & Lighting Specialist at 877-443-5833, or email John. We look forward to helping you get the most out of your home's outdoor environment!

Charlotte Outdoor Lighting: Function Intersects With Aesthetics

Did you know that an outdoor lighting system does more than just make your house the best looking one on the block? Charlotte homeowners are often surprised to learn that an outdoor lighting system is more than simply a cosmetic procedure and that it's also a means to expand the usability of your home.

With outdoor lighting, more can be accomplished even after it's dark outside.  Pressure to get jobs done around your home during the daylight is eased after the installation of an outdoor lighting system. Our customers appreciate the intersection of function and aesthetics our lighting systems provide.

"Outdoor lighting provides the perfect intersection of function and aesthetics," says John Minor of Irrigation & Lighting Specialist. "It's a beautiful way of manipulating light to enhance a home's appearance, while also increasing it's usability." 

Additional Benefits of Charlotte Outdoor Lighting

Here's a few additional benefits our outdoor lighting systems can provide:

1.     Increase security - one of the leading benefits of outdoor lighting is that illuminating more of your home makes it much less prone to break-ins or intruders.

2.    Increase usability of outdoor spaces - lighting systems converts spaces on your property that kept you away with darkness.

3.    Assist guests in identifying your home - a signature outdoor lighting system makes your home an iconic representation of you for your guests to easily recognize when searching for your home.

4.    Simple home improvement - our outdoor lighting systems are a simple way to make a huge difference in your home's aesthetic appeal.

5.    Bring landscaping to life at night - a great time to showcase landscaping is at night, when light can be used to focus on specific displays.

"Outdoor lighting is a great place to start when thinking about enhancing your home's appearance," says Minor. "For a limited time customers can add outdoor landscaping and accent lighting at off-season, low prices!" 

Beat the spring rush by calling today and scheduling a free outdoor lighting system consulation, call John Minor of Irrigation and Lighting Specialist at 877-433-5833 or email John. We look forward to helping you shed some light on how to get even more out of your home! 

Charlotte Outdoor Living Lighting Company Offers Tips for Effective Outdoor Lighting

Designing and installing an outdoor lighting system is an art form. Done right, it can accent the landscaping and beauty of your home, increasing your home’s safety, curb appeal, and value. Done wrong, it can become an expensive eyesore.

At Irrigation & Lighting Specialist, we use subtle and unique lighting design methods to help your home stand apart from others. In order to do this we focus on how you will use your home during the darker hours and what kind of lighting best accents the landscaping and beauty of your home.

“Designing outdoor lighting perspectives is a skill that takes a good eye for details,” says John Minor of Irrigation & Lighting Specialist. “Properly placed lights can bring a natural blending of functionality and beauty to your home and landscaping.”

Below are a few tips to help guide you through the outdoor lighting design process.

Less Is More 

Outdoor lighting is a subtle art form. This lighting is meant to create drama through subtle overtures and nuances. Rather than lighting up your backyard like a sports stadium, the idea is to create an effect that is simple, yet elegant.

“Overdoing the lighting is probably the number one mistake we see do-it-yourselfers make when creating their own lighting systems,” says Minor. “It’s important to understand the principle that less is more and follow it.”

Energy Saving

Outdoor lighting may seem like a sizeable expense to add to your electricity bill but this doesn’t have to be the case. With a little research and planning, the cost can be minimal.

First, you can use solar power. These outdoor lamps are relatively inexpensive and charge themselves during the day. The only cost associated with using solar is the initial cost of the lamps. The only downside of using this type of lighting is that they must be placed in areas with direct sun exposure.

Another option is to use LED outdoor lighting. These lights use much less energy than traditional light bulbs and they are more durable. If you already have a lighting system, LED lights can work as a great compliment or replace the entire system.

“LED lights have become really popular,” says Minor. “The combination of the economy and people becoming more environmentally conscious has caused the demand for LED lights to soar.”

Additionally, you should consider not leaving your lights on all the time. Leaving your outdoor lighting on during the day, for example, is a waste of energy and would cause a needless increase in your electricity bill. This is perhaps the easiest way to save money.

Now is the perfect time to add a custom outdoor lighting system. With fall quickly approaching and days getting shorter, outdoor lighting would be the perfect way to add an aesthetic to the night landscape or make your entertainment area functional after dark. For more information please call John Minor with Irrigation & Lighting Specialist at 877-433-5833 or email John. We look forward to helping your home stand apart from others with a unique and elegant outdoor lighting design.