Soffit Lighting

It is generally thought that having a spacing of two metres between exterior LED downlights on a single-storey home will give you plenty of light. Even so, the amount of external downlights that you will need is a matter of personal taste and individual needs of your home. Deciding this will depend on a few factors, including:

• HEIGHT OF THE SOFFIT. Consider how high up the soffits are. If you want to install them on a low building, you might not need many lights at all; the illumination has less of a distance to shine down, meaning fewer soffit downlights can cover more area at once.
• STYLISH EFFECT. What aesthetic appeal are you hoping to create? Would you prefer light beams overlapping one another to give complete coverage of the area? Does having single-focused beams of light shining separately sound more appealing to you? One will require more outdoor soffit downlights than the other, so this is a major decision to be made at the very beginning stages of planning the project.
• CONSIDER THE ANGLES. Typically, external downlights will shine a wide beam angle of at least 30 degrees. Knowing this, you can whip up some rough drawings using calculations to estimate just how many you may need to have.
• The number of outdoor downlights you need to have may be directly proportionate to the wattage of each of them. Pay attention to the wattage amount of each bulb and the subsequent number of lumens emitted when choosing your outdoor soffit lighting.

 Some soffit areas are designed with plenty of room to install outside downlights, while others simply are not wide enough to accommodate them. Before deciding on your waterproof outdoor downlights, you’ll need to check the eaves and soffits around the property. Be sure that there is a void behind them before you try installing exterior soffit lighting in facias.

If there is not enough room, you won’t be able to sink them into the eaves. Instead, you’ll need to use surface mounted lighting. Fortunately, you can still achieve the spaced effect of recessed outdoor downlights using the right kind of soffit light.

Some homeowners even prefer surface mounted outdoor downlighting to outdoor recessed downlights for aesthetic reasons; certain kinds of light installations benefit from surface lighting as opposed to recessed lighting.

At the end of the day, even if you have enough room for recessed outdoor soffit spotlights, you aren’t obligated to use them. The best soffit lights for you could simply come down to personal design choices.

Much like any other kind of lights, external downlights come in a number of different wattages. As a general rule, you can expect that one watt of LED light will output between 80 and 100 lumens. To apply this to real world wattage amounts, consider the following:

• A 3-watt LED bulb is the equivalent of a halogen bulb with 25 to 30 watts.
• A 5-watt LED bulb is the equivalent of a halogen bulb with 45 to 50 watts.
• A 9-watt LED bulb is the equivalent of a halogen bulb with 60 watts.

Simply put, you don’t have to sacrifice the brightness of a halogen bulb to reap the benefits of an LED light. The only thing that truly changes is the reduced energy output, which is a perk. LEDs can shine as brightly as halogen bulbs but with 80 percent less energy needed.

Some projects around the house can be tackled by a DIY enthusiast, but lighting of any kind is not one of them. Because of the intricate aspects of outdoor soffit light installation and the dangerous element of electricity, it isn’t a good idea to take it into your own hands. You should always get the assistance of a qualified electrician to install outdoor soffit downlights for you.

When it comes to waterproof outdoor downlights, many people equate them with simple overhead ambient lights. The truth is, outdoor soffit lights are versatile and have several unconventional ways in which they can be used.

Illuminating Steps and Paths

IP65 soffit lighting can be used along the edges of pathways, driveways and stairs to highlight the pathway. This improves visibility while also offering an air of sophistication.

Accentuating Garden Features

Exterior LED soffit downlights can be used to draw attention to different areas of the garden. Shine them near ornamental trees, shrubs or flower beds to highlight them. You can also position lights at ground level and shine them upwards onto such features to provide more dramatic lighting.

Moonlighting

Moonlighting is a technique where you shine a light downward through a tree canopy. It gets its name from the effect it creates, which is like moonlight filtering through the leaves.

Highlighting Architecture

If your home has recesses, columns or other areas of visual interest, external soffit lights can be used to draw attention to them. By working them into your architectural lighting scheme, you can enhance the kerb appeal of your home.

Many homebuyers say that one of the things they look for when looking for a new home is exterior lighting. For aesthetic and safety purposes, it is a preferred feature for buyers and may attract more people to consider your home.

With energy efficient external soffit lights and other exterior lighting around the home, potential buyers will be impressed not only by the lighting design but their eco-friendly nature as well. Knowing they can save money while having a beautiful outdoor area is a huge draw.

Similarly, buyers like the idea of having a usable outdoor living space ready for them. With your well-lit exterior, they can picture themselves on the patio or in the outdoor dining space at night, making the property more appealing.

Kerb appeal matters when trying to sell a home, and exterior downlights can provide that. Installing waterproof outdoor downlights can make the best parts of your home stand out easily from the street. This could attract buyers that might have otherwise driven right by your property.

Colour temperature refers to the perceived warmth or coolness of a given light. It is measured on a scale of Kelvin units, that of which ranges from 1,000K to 10,000K. The higher you climb on the scale, the cooler the lights will be.

For commercial properties or areas that you wish to monitor for security above all, choosing colour temperatures between 4000K and 5000K is recommended. This provides clear and ample illumination so your CCTV can clearly record movement.

For warmer, more inviting domestic areas, opt for warmer white light between 2700K and 3300K. This creates a gentle and welcoming atmosphere that makes the home feel cosier and more comfortable.