Whether you are doing some shopping at the local department store or you are leaving work after a long day, no one likes to walk through a dark, foreboding parking lot at night. From businesses like retail stores and restaurants to office complexes, apartment buildings, and industrial facilities, a well-lit parking lot provides a sense of safety and security to customers, visitors, and employees alike.
Strategically-placed parking lot lights can help to avoid accidents and injuries while also preventing crimes like vandalism, theft, and robberies. There are many factors to consider when choosing and installing parking lot lights for your business, and here are a few tips that can help:
How to Maintain a Safely Lit Parking Lot
- Choose high-intensity lights – The lights should be bright enough to provide easy navigation through the parking lot, without being so intense that they produce glare or blind oncoming traffic. Be aware of any local light pollution ordinances, and choose fixtures that spread light evenly over the parking lot without too much horizontal or upwards distribution. Ideally, the light intensity should be between 0.5 and 5 foot-candles.
- Create a uniform lighting pattern – Space your parking lot lights evenly to provide consistent illumination over the entire lot, and be aware of any tall objects, like trees, that could interfere with light distribution.
- Choose accurate lighting – Older lighting systems, such as mercury vapor, low-pressure sodium, or high-pressure sodium, can distort colors and make it difficult to identify people or vehicles. Alternatives like metal halide, high-intensity discharge, or LEDs produce a more natural white light that renders colors accurately.
- Select energy-efficient lights – The type of light you choose can have a significant effect on your utility costs. By switching to LED lights, you could cut your lighting costs in half. If LEDs are not an option, metal halide or high-intensity discharge lights offer greater efficiency than older mercury vapor or sodium solutions.
- Consider the maintenance costs – Replacing bulbs in tall parking lot fixtures can be a costly and time-consuming process. Select lights with the longest service life possible to keep your maintenance costs to a minimum. Typical metal halide or high-intensity discharge lights may have a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours, while LED lights can often last between 50,000 and 100,000 hours. Also, consider the maintenance and repair requirements of other components, such as ballasts, dusk sensors, and control circuits.
The right lighting can make your business far more attractive to potential customers while helping your employees feel safe and protected.
Parking Lot Light Services in Southern Maryland & Northern Virginia
When you need help designing, installing, or maintaining the parking lot lights at your Maryland or Virginia business, talk to our team at John Goudie Electric, We serve Southern Maryland and Northern Virginia, including Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County, and more.
Our company features licensed, professional electricians that can help with all your parking lot light needs, from maintenance and repairs to new light pole installations. Our experts can help you design a system that is energy-efficient and provides the proper amount of light to create a safe, secure environment. We also have a fleet of bucket trucks to make maintenance and repairs simple, and we offer convenient service contracts to keep your parking lot lights in great condition year-round.
To learn how we can help keep your Maryland parking lot safe, call John Goudie Electric today at (301) 945-7688 or contact us online!