I don’t like having dissatisfied clients. So I built my process around quality control, to stop failures before they happen in the field. If something isn’t right for your home, I’ll tell you. I won’t trade quality or your satisfaction for a sale.
Much of the landscape lighting repair Raleigh homeowners call me about traces back to a few avoidable choices. Here’s what fails, and how a well-built system avoids it.
Before landscape lighting, I spent more than 35 years in concert and theatrical lighting. The stage taught me that every fixture and every connection matters. I bring that standard to every landscape, and it’s part of why I earned Masters of Landscape Lighting recognition.
Why do landscape lighting systems fail so soon?
I know which outdoor lighting fixtures hold up and which won’t. You may not need fixtures that last 10 to 20 years or more. But you probably want them to last longer than 3 to 5 years. Yet homeowners often call us to service systems we didn’t install that fail in 3 years or less.
Recently, a homeowner called me about a system her landscape contractor had installed 3 years earlier. She believed the fixtures were good ones, yet they kept breaking. Her original installer wasn’t returning her calls. I hear versions of this story often. Lighting added onto a landscaping, hardscaping or pond project often comes with no warranty at all.
Fixtures that seem good and fixtures that truly are good are two very different things. Low-quality fixtures fail often enough that I don’t offer them at all. These guidelines will help you choose fixtures, and a lighting designer, with confidence.
Why do LED landscape lights fail early?
LEDs are here to stay. They use far less energy, last longer and produce better light than older lamps. There’s no reason your landscape lighting shouldn’t use them.
Still, LEDs are electronic devices. They need the right conditions to reach their long lamp life of up to 50,000 hours. Moisture and heat are their biggest enemies.
North Carolina’s outdoors can be harsh. Wind, rain, snow, ice, irrigation and lawn equipment test your system all year. That’s why I choose fixtures built to protect the LED lamps inside them.
What makes an outdoor light fixture last?
Some installers hand clients a catalog and ask them to pick fixtures and placements. I take on that responsibility myself. An experienced lighting professional should know which products create the right effect and stand up to years of weather. I never use an untested product, however pretty or convenient it looks.
A good fixture keeps its LED lamps dry and protected at all times. It also needs to shed heat. Without that, the lamp will fail or fall short of its rated life.
Every product I install is also serviceable. No product is perfect. If something fails, your installer should repair it promptly and honor the warranty.
Why do wire connections matter so much?
Connections matter just as much as fixtures. They face the same harsh outdoor conditions. Improper connections, like the piercing connectors sold at big box stores, are the number one failure point in outdoor lighting. I use only properly tightened connectors, so your system stays reliable for years.
What should a landscape lighting warranty cover?
Get it in writing. Your warranty should be ironclad, clear and concise. It should spell out exactly what is and isn’t covered. Fixtures and transformers should also carry a strong manufacturer warranty.
Landscape lighting repair in Raleigh: how to choose the right pro
Look for a professional designer and installer who knows which fixtures, lamps and connections work best together. Don’t settle for verbal assurances. Expect a written warranty that clearly explains what’s covered. That way, you won’t be left waiting on unreturned calls 6 months or a few years from now.
Want to go deeper? Read our guide to high-quality landscape lighting fixtures and our landscape lighting maintenance checklist.
Is your current system failing, or are you planning a new one? Contact Lite Visions, and I’ll walk your property in daylight to see what’s there and what should change.
Give us a call: Nine one Nine-518-9950
