LED vs. Low Voltage Landscape Lighting: A Comparison

There’s nothing quite like mood lighting to add to the perfect landscaping of your yard. Two of the most common types of outdoor lighting available from Minneapolis landscaping companies are low voltage lighting and LED.

LED Lighting

You may already be familiar with these little lights from Christmas decorations. Their bulbs do last a long time, and they’re ideal for small devices because they don’t use much electricity. When it comes to using them in landscaping, they’re available with either solar power or hardwired.

While they use very little power, they also have drawbacks. LEDs are more expensive to purchase, and they slowly degrade over time. Their brightness and color change due to their specialized coating breaking down as they get older. It’s also important to realize that solar LED lighting won’t be as bright as other options, because the light bulbs are dependent on the energy input.

Low Voltage Landscape Lighting

One of the nicest things about low voltage lighting is that it’s so inexpensive, both in the long and short term. It’s also safer to install and maintain than other options. For homeowners who like change, the fixtures are also easy to move when it comes time to redecorate, since the wiring sits under the topsoil or mulch and can be easily lifted from its old home before being transferred to a new spot.  That also means it can be installed at any time – no trenching needed to lay electrical lines.

The lower voltage may mean dimmer light output, but that’s not always a problem, depending on the look you’d like. The only problem is that the wire can be damaged due to pests or yard work, because it’s so close to the surface. However, those things can be avoided with proper measures.

When you’re ready to install new lighting, we’re ready to help you. We’re a fully licensed MN outdoor lighting contractor specializing in low voltage landscape lighting, and we can offer more information to help you come to a final decision.

To see just how low voltage landscape lighting can transform your yard, check out our photo gallery for a look at a few of our projects.