Choosing The Right Lighting For Your Garage

The style, size, and door type are some of the biggest considerations when getting a new garage. Often, lighting is an afterthought. However, lighting is very important for your garage. Proper lighting can increase the safety, usability, and aesthetic appeal of a garage. In an article, Garage Lighting Tips, Wanda Thibodeaux shared three important considerations for choosing the right lighting for your garage: placement, safety, and bulb type.

Placement

The first step in a lighting installation plan is determining the placement of lights. Ideally, you want to install the lights in areas that require visual accessibility. Examples would be lights placed over a workbench or the area of the garage that corresponds to above the vehicle engine. This will make it easier for you to see what you are doing during minor repairs or when working on a project. You may want to consider installing light fixtures that have built-in electrical outlets so you can plug in electrical tools that might be needed during the repairs or other work.

Safety

Try to avoid placing lights in ways that result in a lot of shadows. This will help to increase the safety level of the garage, because it will make it harder for individuals to stay hidden. Make sure you install a light at all garage entrances. Try to install lights at an equal distance around the garage. if possible. In terms of safety, consider the height of the lights. Overhead lighting may be optimal for visual needs, for instance, but if your garage has a high ceiling, remember that you will need to get up on a ladder every time you need to change a bulb. Instead, consider placing fixtures on the upper portion of the walls instead of the ceiling.

Bulb Type

Use the right bulb type for your garage. For garages used mainly for vehicle and property storage, incandescent lighting typically is just fine, but you’ll want to use fluorescent lights if you do a lot of repairs or projects in the garage space. Keep in mind that incandescent bulbs do not need a few seconds to produce light, as fluorescents do. This may be an important factor for you if you live in an area that experiences cold weather for much of the year or if your garage does not have insulation, because fluorescent lights respond more slowly the colder it gets.

Have questions about lighting? Check out some Garage Lighting Ideas, or Contact Us.