Types of Electrical Lighting Services
There are different types of electrical lighting services that your electrician might offer. Most commonly, this includes indoor and outdoor lighting services for both commercial and residential buildings.
These lighting services may be further divided into sub-services depending on the preferences of the business or electrician. Dividing lighting services up into these smaller categories makes choosing a service easier for the customer, as they can ask for the service that they want rather than spending time discussion their needs with electricians who may not provide those services.
Different electricians may specialize in a different category of service or require different licensure to operate on. For example, a commercial electrician may be more focused on outdoor lighting and wiring, while another may prefer smaller indoor residential wiring and lighting projects.
Indoor Lighting Services
Indoor lighting services primarily deal with installing new light fixtures, repairing existing lighting and wiring, or re-wiring the space to accommodate new or different lighting.
The type of lighting or wiring necessary depends on the needs of the space. A nightclub, for example, will have different needs than a restaurant, which has different needs from the average home.
Outdoor Lighting Services
The most common outdoor lighting services provides businesses with accent, decorative, and security lighting based on their business’ needs. These lights may also be programmed to change colors or move in patterns to add additional advertisement to the building.
Residential homes may require outdoor lighting services to install new porch lights and security system lights, but do not typically require anything beyond that.
Commercial VS. Residential Lighting Services
Commercial lighting services typically require more lights, and different types of lights than a residential space will. For example, common electrical lighting services for commercial purposes may include wiring a business for a new security spotlight or re-doing the lighting of an interior for a comfortable dining experience.
A residential space, on the other hand, will require fewer lights and less extensive wiring, but will need a range of different types of lights for tasks, dining, and comfortability all-in-one.
What are the 4 Types of Lighting?
No matter if you are looking for electrical lighting services for a business or to enhance the comfort of your home, the type of lighting matters.
There are 4 types of lighting that you can install which will have a different impact on how you – and others – perceive the space. (1)
Lighting affects the ambiance and mood of a space — get it right and the whole look of your interiors will improve.
Forbes
- Ambient lighting
Ambient lighting is meant to enhance the mood or atmosphere of a space. This type of lighting may be colorful and provides very soft lighting throughout the room to allow individuals to see comfortably without being directly underneath harsh lights.
- Task lighting
This type of lighting directly fulfills a function. While it can still look visually appealing, the focus is on allowing the individual to complete a specific task. An example of this is a lamp near a couch to provide light for reading. Likewise, in a business setting, this could be a spotlight that helps a dentist work with their patients, or a desk lamp that helps your accountant read over all their materials.
- Accent lighting
Accent lighting is meant to be used sparingly to highlight other parts of a building or object. While it is not the direct focus like decorative lighting is, it serves as a way of enhancing the overall visual space.
An example of accent lighting may be dim colored lighting pointed towards a water feature so that it highlights the reflections from a waterfall. Accent lighting may also feature the light fixture as an accent, such as decorative light fixtures over restaurant tables, or above partygoers.
- Decorative lighting
This type of lighting is important for highlighting specific aspects of the interior or exterior. These lights may be colored and can vary in brightness depending on the specific needs. The pattern may also be stylized to draw additional attention to a building or object.
What are Uses of Light?
Light is an important part of our lives that allows us to enjoy the later evening hours and achieve so much throughout the day.
Often lighting is thought about as something to provide a direct benefit and function, such as a lamp for reading or a spotlight for security purposes, but it has a deeper effect than many people realize.
What we don’t understand is the ability for lighting to affect our mood and change our perception of businesses or feel differently within the walls of our own home.
Furthermore, light can have physiological effects on the body. Harsh direct lighting, for example, has been cited in many office buildings as causing headaches and encouraging procrastination. Dim lighting, on the other hand, can easily cause headaches due to eye strain, or encourage negative feelings of depression and anxiety.
Businesses harness these effects and use lighting to their advantage in both an artistic and commercial way. Lighting can change a customer’s feelings about a business as they walk in.
Brightly lit, soft interiors can make a retail space feel inviting and increases the likelihood of them purchasing something. Dramatic, colored lighting can draw the eye on the exterior of the building or enhance the texture of featured items inside.
Why Choose Energy-Saving Lighting?
In recent years, energy-saving lighting has become all the rage. These lighting solutions are advertised on almost all new lighting fixtures that you can buy in-stores that are mid-range and higher. So, is it worth choosing energy-saving lighting over the bare minimum budget lighting that doesn’t sport these new features? If you want a hint, the answer is yes!
Energy-saving lighting incorporates new technology that helps reduce the electricity demands of your lighting fixtures, putting less strain on power grids which makes it beneficial for cities and states. Because of this reduced electrical demand, however, you also stand to receive dramatic savings on energy costs.
These lower operating costs are the main benefit for consumers. While it may be a modestly higher up-front cost, this lighting saves a lot of money over an annual and monthly timeline. Energy-saving lighting is the investment of the future, not just for the planet, but for your wallet.
Many energy-saving lighting solutions also help save money on maintenance costs for businesses, which is important if you are running lights around the clock for security or decoration. Furthermore, the average lifetime operational hours are greatly extended with this new technology, meaning you get a lot more time before any bulbs burn out than with the budget bulb.
Is Lighting Considered Electrical?
Yes, lighting is considered electrical work in most cases. Even when working with battery or generator-powered lighting, it is most likely producing an electrical current that powers the lights.
Light fixtures, both for residential and commercial purposes, is something that a professional electrician can handle with ease. Because lighting is considered electrical work, it must also comply with local or industry-specific codes and regulations.
Fortunately, electricians must be familiar with these codes to keep and renew their professional licensure. Hiring an electrician to install lighting is the best way to ensure that the work is up to current building codes and zoning specifications.
Some electricians even specialize in lighting and electrical systems that support lighting fixtures, making it easier for businesses and homeowners to install new lighting solutions.
Occasionally, lighting fixtures may need routine maintenance to ensure that all the wiring connections are secure and that there is no imminent fire hazard or risk.
Find Electrical Lighting Services Near You
For any kind of electrical work that requires more than simply replacing the bulb in a pre-existing fixture, you’ll need to call an electrician. These professionals are experienced in working with any type of lighting and know how to best wire the home to suit your needs without compromising safety.
Working with the internal wiring of the house is dangerous and should be handled by a reliable professional even for small jobs.
No matter the kind of work you need done, you can rely on Same Day Pros to help you find an electrician near you help you install new lighting in your home or business.
References:
- Forbes, How to Light Your House the Right Way, https://www.forbes.com/sites/houzz/2017/09/26/how-to-light-your-house-the-right-way/?sh=791cafd17fc5