Solar lights are among the most pocket-friendly, and eco-friendly methods of enhancing the light in gardens and walkways. These lights come with multiple benefits like limited maintenance, low cost of running, and so on.
However, despite the many advantages, many users often think that these solar lights look tacky. It might pose a problem to the complete look of your house. Is it true? Are solar lights tacky? In this article, we will uncover these facts about solar lights.
Are solar lights tacky?
Some solar lights look quite tacky while some are quite cute and enhance the look and feel of the outdoor space. Solar lights designed for the gardens look stylish and aesthetically appealing. It lights up the garden in a beautiful way. The lumen level in these garden solar lights is low.
Solar lights designed for gardens are among the popular types. They light up the outdoor space no matter how dark it is. It gives off a warm and inviting feeling to the garden. Different areas in the garden need different kinds of solar light.
Solar path lights- These help in lighting up the pathways in the garden. They are usually small and give soft lighting to the path in the garden. This provides sufficient light for the people to watch their steps when walking on the garden path. It gives a glow to the garden and also makes the garden look aesthetically appealing.
Ambient solar lights- These solar lights are used for styling purposes. As a result, they are less bright when compared to solar path lights. Ambient solar lights are available as decorative lanterns, string lights, or colorful blown glass. It can be fixed along with the path lights and it will lend ambient lighting to the garden.
Spotlights/Task lights- These are the brightest solar lights available. They give off as much light as a 40-watt bulb. This is not as bright as a regular spotlight. To get the ideal lighting, one needs to place more than one spotlight. It helps brighten up the driveways and the gateways in the house.
Are solar lights worth it?
Yes, solar lights are worth the money that one spends on them. There are multiple benefits associated with solar lights that make them worth the money you spend on them.
Cost- One of the biggest advantages of using solar lighting is that they are cost-effective. They do not need electricity for their running and this saves the user money. Though the initial set-up cost is high, the cost is recouped over time as the user does not have to pay high electricity bills.
Convenience- Solar energy is free and renewable. One needs to put the solar lights under the direct rays of the sun to generate more solar power. Partial shade or poor lighting can lead to a low generation of solar power.
Installation- The modern solar lights are wireless. Everything required to run the solar light is present within the unit. Installation is very easy. One needs to place the spike in the ground. The only thing to keep in mind during installation is that it must be placed in an area that gets enough sunlight.
Maintenance- It requires little maintenance. These lights have a life of 20000 hours. The only maintenance that the user needs to do is clean the dirt, moisture, and debris from time to time. When necessary, one needs to charge the battery too.
Brightness
Solar lights are good for garden paths and ambient lighting. The use of solar lighting for security purposes is limited. There are brighter solar lights that can last for a few hours at night. However, the dimmer ones can illuminate the outdoor area throughout the night.
Where should solar spotlights be placed?
There are many places where solar spotlights can be placed for giving a dramatic effect to the home.
Path- one can add solar lights on either side of the garden path. Different parts of the path can be illuminated and give a natural look to the outdoor space.
Behind a landscape feature- One can place a solar spotlight in front of a landscaping feature like an ornamental tree. It will add drama to the home and also help to draw attention to the landscaping form. For a dramatic effect, the light can be placed close to the base of this feature.
On garages- For getting adequate lighting in and around the garage, place the solar light on the top of the garage door. This is more subtle than the floodlights and will help in better visibility during nighttime.
Placed high in trees– Placing the solar lights on the trunks of the trees and directing them to shine downward will help to cast a moon-like glow on the walkway and lawn.
Flower beds– The solar lights not only help light up the pathways. It can be used for illuminating flower beds as well. The lights must be taller than the plants in the flower bed.
Above decks or patios- Place the solar lights on the trunks of trees closer to the decks or patios. It will create subtle mood lighting to the deck.
Are solar LED lights any good?
Solar LED lights are good for use by individuals. Less sunlight is needed for running these solar LED lights. They are available in a compact size with an elegant design. LED solar lights have a large lifespan of 50000 hours.
These solar lights are not made from glass and hence are more durable the weather conditions like high temperatures, strong winds, and so on. These lights are also resistant to shocks and vibrations.
LED solar lights lose less light, and hence they provide better performance as compared to other lights.
Final words
Some solar lights might look tacky but there are a lot more attractive and stylish options available in solar lighting. The user can pick and choose good-looking solar lights for their homes and lend a dramatic or subtle lighting effect. Solar lighting is the future, and investing in it is a good way to get limitless energy thanks to solar power.
Eng. Matthew Joseph Nandirio is the Founder of walkingsolar.
After graduating from the University of Houston in 2002, matt started working as a Solar Electrical Engineer for several multi-national solar energy companies.
He has a wide range of experiences including solar system requirement analysis, planning, maintaining, debugging and even solar device development through research.
He now shares his 20 years of expertise through his articles on the walkingsolar website.
Further, he is also the author of two books on Solar Technology, “Solar Power for Villages” and “DIY Solar System for Dummies”.