4 tips for improving your parking-lot lighting

Poor parking-lot lighting brings with it both pros and cons.

Pros:

• Dark spaces make you look thinner.
• Your sunglasses look even cooler in low light.
• Creepy shadows help you hide from the paparazzi.

Cons:

• Poor lighting can lead to robberies, vehicle break-ins, car accidents and injuries.
• Low light levels can impair the effectiveness of security cameras.
• A dark parking lot makes a business look closed, even if open late.

Adequate lighting improves safety, discourages crime, creates a warm welcome for customers and prevents potential lawsuits.

1. inspect and maintain your lights and poles

Choose one night each month to quickly inspect your parking lot. Take note of how much light your poles are providing and any dark sections. There are a variety of factors that can affect illumination, including dust, debris and nearby tree branches. We recommend cleaning fixtures at least once or twice a year, as well as trimming any overgrown trees. Components of area lighting often overlooked during inspections are the poles. Regular light pole maintenance and inspections are extremely important. Quarterly to biannual inspections are recommended for both the light pole and luminaire to maintain safety, longevity, and aesthetics. While there are many aesthetic features to explore during these inspections, click here to learn about what safety aspects should be considered.

2. replace and upgrade old light bulbs

Keep an eye out for dim or burnt-out bulbs and replace them as soon as you can. And if you’re using an inefficient source like high-pressure sodium bulbs, consider upgrading to LED lights. They provide brighter, more vivid lighting and have a longer lifespan.

3. upgrade your lamps and fixtures

Lamps can degrade as much as 40% over just a few years, which makes them operate less effectively. So, it’s important to upgrade them regularly.

And dated fixtures are inefficient and project light horizontally and upward, rather than down toward the ground. You can resolve those issues by installing newer, more modern fixtures or adding a “skycap” (light shield) to your existing fixtures.

4. install dusk-to-dawn lights or motion sensors

Choosing smarter lights can lower your energy consumption by up to 90%.

Dusk-to-dawn lights respond to the natural light around them, turning on when the sky gets dark and turning off once the sun rises.

Motion sensors are handy for areas of your lot that don’t need to be lit the entire night. Your lights will kick on as soon as a person walks nearby.

Ready to make improvements, but not sure where to start? We can help.