New Custom Landscape Lighting System? Don’t Neglect Maintenance and Possibly Void Your Warranty!

New Custom Landscape Lighting System? Don’t Neglect Maintenance and Possibly Void Your Warranty!

By Mike Gambino

Have you had a brand new custom landscape lighting system installed recently? It probably cost you a pretty penny, but you’re now happy to be experiencing the enhanced feeling of safety and security after dark. The extended hours of property enjoyment and all the positive compliments that you have received from friends and neighbors. And  no more worries about coming home to a dark property with the fear someone or something is lurking in the bushes poised to leap out at you when you exit your vehicle. Parties have never been better.

You may think you’re done worrying about your custom LED landscape lighting system for a little while. Unfortunately, that’s not the smartest decision. Unlike lighting fixtures and components installed inside the home, lighting fixtures installed outside are constantly exposed to extreme changes in climate and weather. They share space in the garden with living growing plant materials that are constantly spreading in front of fixtures blocking light travel and or creating hot spots which are very unsightly. And then there are gardening crews and sprinkler systems continually having their impact on the performance of your lighting system.  Your installer may have mentioned that your new system needs regular maintenance to keep it operating at its best. Don’t dismiss this advice as just a way for them to get more money out of you!

Why maintain equipment that’s so new? There are a number of reasons that it’s in your best interest to do preventative maintenance on your landscape lighting system. But here’s one you may not be aware of: you can void the manufacturer’s warranty on the equipment if you don’t. Read the fine print on your warranty. Chances are, you’ll discover a clause that requires you to prove you’ve had the system maintained over the years in order to make a warranty claim.

LED Landscape Lighting equipment is designed to last for a specified number of years, with the assumption that the equipment is properly taken care of. If that care is neglected, parts wear out sooner and unexpected breakdowns can occur. Manufacturers include maintenance requirements on warrantied equipment because they understand how important it is to keep it running reliably.

Here’s why maintenance is important to your equipment’s manufacturer, and why it should be important to you:

1. Damage from water intrusion, dust and debris is avoided.

Take your fixture moisture seals as an example. Depending on your system environmental exposure and usage, seals and possible water and moisture entry points may need to be checked and repaired from time to time to keep dust and moisture out of the equipment that can cause damage. If you wait an extended period of time to start doing maintenance, years worth of moisture and dust is already shortening the life of your LED lamps.

2. Parts last longer.

When calcium deposits, dirt and grime build up on the exterior of your fixture’s parts, particularly lenses, cooling fins and heat sinks, it causes additional wear and tear because the parts have to work harder to do their job.  This can lead to excessive heating. Having your equipment cleaned regularly keeps all the parts working as designed and helps them last longer. This also lessens the chance of an unexpected breakdown. It’s not uncommon even for relatively new equipment to stop working efficiently and effectively due to a leaf clogged lens aperatures or because of accumulated debris on lenses.

3. Impending problems can be prevented.

Something as small as a damaged wire by a gardener or rodent can trip your breaker and cause you to suddenly have no light usually right before a party or important event. Transformer cores vibrate, and that shaking can cause problems with electrical connections. When your system is regularly inspected by an experienced Landscape Lighting service professional (preferably the original installation company), he can spot small issues like this and fix them before they take down your system and lead to more expensive repairs.

4. System efficiency is increased.

This is not a myth! Systems consume the same electricity whether it is putting out originally designed and intended brightness levels or if it is detuned or lacking in performance due to improper or neglected upkeep. Dirt or plant material blockage can cause significant system havoc, transformers and LED lamps to malfunction, or run hot, which causes the system to use more electricity in the process. You can save the hassle of these problems when you regularly service your Landscape lighting equipment.

Choose the right service provider to ensure your eligibility for warranty service if needed

Using a reputable service provider that has proven expertise with your brand of equipment is essential. Look for a company that has been in business for quite some time, and ask if they have experience with the landscape lighting systems you have. Also ask about the parts they use.

Some vendors may use cheaper, off-brand parts that can also void your warranty, since the manufacturer won’t take responsibility for any damage they may cause.

Gambino landscape Lighting requires that all of our systems are maintained by us or a company authorized by us and use all originally installed replacement equipment to maintain warranty eligibility. We do not service or work on any other equipment or systems designed and installed by anyone else and we don’t recommend or approve of unauthorized individuals to work on ours.

Your landscape lighting fixtures and transformers may be out of sight by design, but don’t let them be out of mind once their installed. Neglecting landscape lighting equipment maintenance can cost you in many ways that you may not realize.

Now that you know what’s at stake, your next step is to understand what an annual preventative maintenance actually entails to make sure you get the service that’s right for you. Unfortunately, there is no industry standard, so it can be tricky to find anyone who you can trust besides the original system installer to service it.

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 29 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.Gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.

 

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