Can You Upgrade Existing Halogen Light Systems to LED?

Investing in an outdoor lighting system improves the value, safety, and appearance of your home. Maybe you moved into a home that already had an outdoor lighting system in place, and you’re wondering if it’s time for an upgrade. Or maybe you installed your current lighting system several years ago, and it’s not quite as efficient as you would like. Whatever the case, upgrading your existing halogen light system to a much more energy efficient LED, or light emitting diode, system can be a worthwhile improvement on your investment in your home.

Benefits of LED

You might be interested in upgrading your light system to LED lights because you know they can save you money on your energy bills, but there are many additional benefits to this type of lighting as well. In fact, lighting professionals today tend to prefer LED over halogen lighting systems because LED lights are:

• Energy efficient – use up to 80 percent less energy
• Safe – emit lower heat
• Cost effective – add more lights without additional transformers
• Long-lasting – last up to ten times longer and rarely need replacing
• Versatile – can be any color temperature

Retrofitting your Light System

If you are happy with your existing lighting fixtures, or you are worried about the cost of replacing your entire outdoor lighting system, you might be able to retrofit, rather than replace, much of what you already have. Most LED bulbs are manufactured to fit all different types of light fixtures, so lighting professionals are often able to easily retrofit existing fixtures with new LED bulbs as long as they are interchangeable fixtures. Integrated fixtures, on the other hand, need to be replaced completely since the bulb and fixture are one unit. Even in cases where retrofitting is possible, though, replacing old fixtures might be best in the long run because newer fixtures are more efficient.

Types of LED Lights

Whether you have bright, white lights for safety reasons, such as along your driveway, steps, walkways, or pool area; soft, yellow lights to enhance the beauty of your landscaping; or a mixture of both, LED lights can be any color temperature you want.

Maintenance

Regular maintenance is essential to ensure the safety and functionality of any electrical system, even when using LED lights. For outdoor lighting systems, professionals recommend service every 3 years. It’s best to have a team of professionals check your system for exposed wires, burnt out bulbs, and broken fixtures since these issues might be difficult to address yourself.

Talk to a Professional Today

If you’re ready to upgrade your older lighting system but aren’t quite sure where to start, our team at Houston Lightscapes would be happy to help. Even if another company installed your current lighting system, our team can conduct a maintenance visit and discuss your options about replacing or retrofitting your lights to LED. Give us a call today at (713) 461-3600 to set up a free consultation. In addition to retrofitting your existing system, we also offer an LED maintenance program to ensure the safety, efficiency, and longevity of your lighting system. As an added benefit of our LED maintenance program, your outdoor lighting system will be completely protected for an additional 3 full years after being serviced, so you can enjoy your lighting for years to come.