Handyman in Edmonton: 4 Ways to Improve Garage Lighting

Garages don’t have to be dark and dreary. Many garages have just one overhead fluorescent or incandescent light bulb that simply does not reach all corners of the room. At the same time, it can be hard to know how to properly light a garage, because they are so large and, sometimes, windowless. Hiring an electrical repairman in Edmonton can help clarify the process and give you options you might not have considered. 

1. Use Ambient, Task, and Accent Lighting

These types of lighting are alternatives to the overhead light fixture and commonly work well in areas that don’t get enough light. 

• Ambient Lighting: This soft light works great along the perimeter of the floor to help you navigate the dark after stepping out of the car. 

• Task Lighting: Use a brighter bulb to illuminate storage areas and workspaces. Handling a detailed repair or organizing project is much easier with light that shines directly where you need it.

• Accent Lighting:  Not as bright as task lighting, but not as soft as ambient lighting, this could be used if you have a collection of wall posters on display or a trophy case that others may look at.

Professional handyman services in Edmonton can help you install all of these and troubleshoot whether you have enough outlets. 

2. Customize Lighting Based on Function

The type of lighting you need should correspond to the work you’re doing. Trouble lights have a caged wire around the bulb and hang easily from a hook on the top. Having two or three of these on hand can be useful for quick car repairs and trips to the attic. Attach the hook to the underside of your car’s hood, or hang the trouble light from a nail in your attic.

Your garage door opener may also include an ambient light source. These should be on a timer delay, giving you time to exit the car and go into the house. After about 30 seconds, these lights shut themselves off. Wall sconces with embedded low-wattage light fixtures can also be a solution for helping you and your family see in the dark. 

3. Change Incandescent Light Bulbs to LED or Fluorescent Lights

When you install more lights, it is likely that your electric bill will go up. To offset this cost, use energy-efficient bulbs such as LEDs and fluorescents. These should produce the same amount of light (lumens) but require less energy (wattage) to do so. Incandescent bulbs may use 60 watts to do what an LED could do with 10 watts. 

4. Install Motion Sensors

One hassle with adding new lights is remembering where all the switches are. Motion sensors can save you time and stress by automatically shutting off the lights whenever it no longer detects the presence of a person. Of course, if you remain still for too long, the lights will shut off, but as soon as you start moving again, they will come back on. Make sure that the motion sensor you purchase is compatible with the light bulbs you need.

Hire an Electrical Repairman in Edmonton

Our electrical experts can handle almost any type of request for handyman services in Edmonton. All of our employees have been doing this for at least 10 years, and complete background checks every year. When you contact us for an estimate, you can count on receiving award-winning customer service and thorough advice about your garage lighting needs. We also check for often-overlooked details such as surge protection, necessary upgrades to the electrical panel in your wall, and ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Call us today.