As we have often said, there are a lot of different things to consider when choosing outdoor lighting products for our designs. Naturally, there is the important choice of fixture needed for the task at hand: a wide wash fixture, a directional (bullet) fixture, or other fixture to achieve a specific lighting effect. But did you know that geography must also be taken into account when choosing landscape lighting products?
Landscape lighting must be able to withstand the outdoor environment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, for many years. Aside from climate, all lighting fixtures installed outside also have to withstand the variety of acids that are found in different soil types, as well as the chemicals that may be found in the water supply. Even lawn fertilizer can have an effect on metals in the yard. We must also think about what is in the air!
Here in the Austin, Texas area we have a mostly dry climate, particularly in the last few years where we have suffered serious drought conditions – even in the lake areas. Our soil is good, except for the rocks and granite. Our water is hard but clean, and our air is pretty dry and cleaner than most cities. All of these factors mean that the central Texas conditions are very forgiving, allowing us to use a multitude of different materials when it comes to landscape lighting. We have been using a high quality aluminum fixture line with a great powder coat finish for 10 years here, and those fixtures still look and perform today just like they did the day we installed them. We also install some brass and copper fixtures occasionally, but our climate and environment doesn’t demand those more expensive products; and therefore, we can save our clients some money on the materials.
Now it’s a different story for our friends in the Houston or other coastal areas around the country. In those locations good landscape lighting companies must use brass or copper fixtures because they suffer with harsher environmental concerns that we don’t experience in the Austin area. Their biggest problem is the salty air. I advise anyone who lives within 30 miles of the coast to use only brass or copper fixtures, and also perform maintenance regularly, preferably quarterly. Salt air will play havoc on an aluminum fixture as well as any lamp socket, causing corrosion and pitting that will result in product failure and deterioration of the finish. That’s why maintenance is so crucial in coastal areas.
I’m sure other parts of the country where snow and pollution are prevalent have their issues as well. The good news is that here in the greater Austin and central Texas area, we have more options. But please avoid fixtures made of plastic and cheap aluminum or some other type of pot metal that does not have a durable powder coat finish to protect it. Those cheap online or box store products simply won’t hold up in any outdoor environment.
I would like to ask my lighting friends from around the country to comment with what you have found in your part of the country. Of course you can contact us here if you would rather email us.
