April 15, 2014 • Page 10 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Lighting Sets The Stage For Outdoor Fun Tis the season for making changes in and around the home. The arrival of warmer weather renews homeowners’ vigor for various home improvement projects, and many have grand plans for interior and exterior renovations as they prep their living spaces for comfort, beauty and entertaining opportunities. While there are many worthy projects to pursue, adding outdoor lighting to a home can help increase its value and make the home safer and more attractive in the evening hours. According to the American Lighting Association, with a few updates to outside lighting, families can make even better use of their homes at night. Adding outdoor lighting is easier and less expensive than many homeowners may know, allowing them to transform an existing patio, deck or pool area into an enjoyable nighttime retreat. Pool parties, dinners on the patio or barbecues with neighbors become even more memorable when outdoor lighting is added or improved. But homeowners who want to install or upgrade their outdoor lighting should consider the following tips, courtesy of ALA. * Improve navigation. Lighting is typically layered into a room or outdoor space in three ways: overhead, task and ambient. Even outdoors, where there are no typical boundaries and borders, those three layers are necessary. Outdoor overhead lighting should improve visibility on steps, paths and walking surfaces, especially where there’s a bend or an intersection. Task lighting can be used around cooking or gardening areas. Ambient light will cast a comforting glow around any outdoor space. * Enhance security. To improve visibility and security, combine a motion detector with a sconce to illuminate dark corners or entryways. Be sure to aim lights away from the door to improve visibility. Lanterns on either side of the door can give a home a warm, welcoming appearance and improve the safety of entryways. * Create outdoor rooms. Outdoor lighting at the borders of a space is a great way to create barriers, both vertically and horizontally. Lights in a tree create something akin to a chandelier hung in the middle of the sky, and even accent lights in the general area of the edge of a patio, deck or porch will shine across the space and provide enough of a comfort level for people to understand where things are. * Reduce glare. Outdoor lighting that casts a glare can be blinding, as can light that’s too bright. Lighting along paths should be cast downward, with fixtures that are hooded. A variety of lighting options will create layers, allowing you to add or subtract as necessary. Exterior-safe dimmers also can provide flexible control over the level of light, as can movable fixtures added to a patio or porch. * Add decorative elements. Just as arbors, pergolas, patios and other outdoor elements help to enhance the style of an outdoor space, so, too, can lighting contribute to a welldesigned landscape. Lighting should play up decorative features of a yard and add the ambience that homeowners desire. Step lights make passage safe while also highlighting Outdoor lighting can play up the more decorative features of a yard, including flower beds. molding or trim details. An outdoor chandelier can make for a wonderful accent during dinnertime on the deck or under a pergola. Patio lights provide atmosphere as well as illumination for cooking outside. * Enhance views from inside. Outdoor lighting can make the view from inside pleasant and enjoyable. Use a variety of lights, including spotlights on trees, lights dotted along pathways and accent lights on unique landscape features, to create an idyllic landscape visible from inside the home. Outdoor lighting enhances functionality of yards and landscapes while making such areas safer for Christensen’s Radiator & Repair Tune Ups • Brakes • Cooling Systems Trailer Hitches & Accessories We Do Air Conditioning! Dan & Dean Christensen 1918 Locust • Yankton 665-3549 Retaining Walls & Pavers SPECIALTIES! • Commercial • Residential • Farm Wiring • Prompt Service • Quality Work • Competitive Prices Mower Tune-Up After 6 months of cold storage, your lawn mower might need a little jump start to get out of hibernation. Doing a Spring tune-up is not only good for the performance of your mower but it also helps keep your equipment running smoothly. Every 3,000 miles you need an oil change on your car. Likewise, it's important to change your lawn mower oil every mowing season. Lawn Mower maintenance procedure is replacing the spark plugs on your mower. After a full summer of mowing they can get pretty beat up. To keep your lawn mower running in top form, you will also want to replace your air filter. It's important to have a clean air filter so particulates like dust and mold don't damage your engine. The last thing you'll need to do is put a container of fuel stabilizer in your gas tank. This prevents gas from clogging the tank or fuel lines and promotes quicker engine starting. You can buy it at any farm, automotive or hardware store. AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR New Construction or Remodeling WITH A CAN-DO ATTITUDE Harry Lane Electrical Contractor Call us today for all your electrical needs! Home: 665-6612 Fax: 668-1772 ? Hit By A Deer? You can trust us to make your vehicle look like new! Get complete auto repair at either of our two locations. 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