LED and outdoor lighting
LED and outdoor lighting in Point Chevalier
Good lighting changes how a house works after dark. We install LED lighting through Point Chev homes, from the kitchen bench to the front veranda and the path down the side of the section.
Why LED is now the default
BRANZ's guidance on choosing lamps is plain about it: LEDs should be the default lighting in homes. A 9.5 watt LED gives as much light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb, and an LED lasts somewhere between 15,000 and 30,000 hours against one or two thousand for the old bulb. They cost more to buy, but BRANZ notes the energy saving and the longer life more than make up for it.
Swapping bulbs is something you can do yourself. Where an electrician earns their keep is in the fittings and the circuits: dedicated LED fittings, which BRANZ calls a good option for a significant renovation, dimmers matched to dimmable lamps, warm white where you want a softer light, and the switching that makes a room easy to use.
Kitchens and living areas
A kitchen needs two kinds of light: general light for the room and task light on the bench, where your own shadow falls when the only light is above and behind you. LED strip under the wall cupboards puts light exactly where the chopping happens, and a few well placed downlights or pendants do the rest.
A single pendant in the middle of a bungalow living room ceiling rarely lights the whole room well. Wall lights, a second circuit for lamps, or downlights on a dimmer let the same room be bright for homework and low for a film. If the lighting circuits are old, we test them first, and our rewiring page explains what we look for.
Downlights in an older ceiling
Recessed downlights have been a popular choice for years, and BRANZ lists three problems with the older models. Insulation has to be kept clear of them or they overheat, so each one leaves a gap in the ceiling insulation; heat escapes through the hole; and warm, moist air from the room leaks into the roof space with it. In a single-storey bungalow that ceiling is the main thing between you and a cold roof.
BRANZ recommends replacing older downlights with surface-mounted lights, or with downlights rated IC or IC-F that can be covered with insulation, and replacing the whole fitting rather than just the bulb. That is the job we do when a Point Chev owner upgrades their ceiling lights, and it pairs well with topping up the insulation.
Verandas, paths and the garden
If the light on your porch or veranda is an enclosed globe, that is the one place BRANZ says an LED is not ideal, because LEDs last longest with air moving around them, so we fit a fitting suited to the lamp rather than squeezing a bulb into the old one.
Beyond the porch, light along the side path and the drive makes coming home after dark safer, and garden lighting lets you use the outdoor space in the evening. Every new outdoor lighting circuit is protected by an RCD at the board, and fittings are chosen to keep weather out. If an outdoor light already trips the power when it rains, our fault finding service will track it down.
Lighting questions
Can I put LED bulbs in my existing fittings?
In most cases, yes. LED bulbs now fit most existing fixtures, spotlights and downlights included. Use the correct size and wattage for the fitting, and check the bulb is dimmable if the light is on a dimmer.
Why do my new LEDs flicker on the dimmer?
Not every LED is dimmable, and not every dimmer suits LEDs. We match the dimmer to the lamps so they dim smoothly.
Do I get a certificate for new lights?
New fixed wiring, such as new lighting circuits or added light points, comes with a Certificate of Compliance. Replacing an existing light fitting like for like is maintenance and does not need one.
Are our old Christmas lights safe to run outside?
Check the label says they are made for outdoor use, and look for cracked sockets or frayed wires. WorkSafe advises plugging an older mains-voltage light set into an RCD, and switching all Christmas lights off when you go to bed or go out. A properly installed outdoor socket on an RCD-protected circuit makes the season easier.
Can lights be added without opening up the ceiling?
Often, in a single-storey house, because cable can be run through the ceiling space. We look at the access before we plan where the lights go.
Lights out on the peninsula?
Our electricians are available for call-outs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 021 156 4005, or send the details and we will get back to you.
Other work around the house
House rewiring
Partial and full rewires for interwar bungalows, 1930s state houses and the newer homes at the end of the peninsula.Switchboard upgrades
Old fuse boards replaced with modern boards, circuit breakers and RCD protection, with the inspection mains work needs.Fault finding and repairs
Tripping circuits, flickering lights, dead sockets and warm plugs traced to their cause and put right.Emergency call-outs
Electricians available for call-outs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week when something electrical fails.Heat pump installation
Heat pumps wired in on their own circuit, with the indoor and outdoor units placed to suit the house.Shops and commercial
Electrical work for the shops and businesses along Point Chevalier Road and Great North Road.Enquiries
Contact us
Call 021 156 4005 at any hour, or tell us about the job below and we will get back to you.
021 156 4005- Auckland
- Call-outs around the clock, every day of the week