What Homeowners Need to Know
(Originally posted on cast-lighting.com)
CAST Landscape Lighting System Maintenance - What Homeowners Need to Know
Should I do it myself?
What needs to be done to maintain the perfomrance of my CAST system?
Landscape lighting systems need to be maintained on a regular basis. Fixtures need to be cleaned and adjusted, plant material needs to be trimmed or removed and lamps (bulbs) need to be replaced. Transformers need to be checked and wires need to be inspected for damage.
Can I do it myslef? Or, should I ask my contractor to do it?
Certainly, homeowners can perform much of their own system maintenance, but there are many reasons why they might rather sign up for a maintenance agreement with their contractors. Here are some factors to consider.
- Lamp (bulb) Replacement. It's easy to replace lamps in all CAST fixtures, but high-quality long-lasting CAST lamps are only available through CAST Distributors. Each of the lamp types used in CAST fixtures are available in various beam spreads and wattages. It's important for the electrical and design integrity of your system to replace the lamps with the exact type specified by your installer.
- Lighting Fixture Adjustment. As plant material grows, it will become necessary to re-aim and possibly re-position lighting fixtures. The contractor who designed your system is best able to perfomr these adjustments to ensure adequate and appropriate illumination.
- Electrical Testing. Part of what your contractor will do is to check voltages and amperages at the fixture and transformers. This ensures that the correct voltage is delivered to every fixture and is critical to maintain optimal lamp life. Your contractor has the tools and skills to do this.