by Dan Carpenter | Dec 11, 2013 | 2013, Blog
Summertime on the Gold Coast means that the outside evening temperatures are just right. And as we tend to live a huge portion of our lives outdoors, what more reason do you need to light up your external living space and give it that resort like feel? Strategically placed backyard lighting will ensure you can kick back and relax, let the kids and pets run amok, or enjoy a BBQ in your outdoor area all year round.
Here are our top 4 ways to bring your backyard to life through clever lighting…and to be the envy of your neighbours in the process!
- Garden lighting –
When selecting lights to place in your garden, there are a few different types you could go for depending on what you garden is made up of. Firstly, opting for in-ground spike lights may be a good idea if you have something like a beautiful statue or palm tree that you’d like to draw attention to. Placing spike lights at the bottom of the feature will highlight it and create a stand-out area of the garden. Alternatively, smaller foliage lights may be appropriate if you want to give your garden a consistent ambient glow. Or, if you are looking to really light up your garden, a combination of both in-ground spike lights and foliage lights may even be something to consider.
- Deck lighting –
If you have a timber deck, lighting it up will instantly liven up your whole backyard and give your deck more aesthetic appeal. Aside from this, deck lighting is also very practical as it means you can continue to entertain outside and enjoy your deck’s beauty well into the night, as well as light up your deck stairs if you have any.
- Paver lighting –
In-ground paver lights are a great alternative to ceiling lights. Placing these lights around the edge of your outdoor space will create soft and relaxed-mood lighting, perfect for outdoor entertaining on those hot summer nights.
- And last but not least, pool lighting –
For many, the pool is the key feature of the backyard and we want it to look its best, so pool lighting is a brilliant and worthwhile addition to your outdoor area. Not only do they increase safety, lit up pools also make for the perfect setting for night-time entertaining and let’s face it – nothing is more inviting or more calming than a night swim in a well-lit, crystal blue swimming pool!
For more tips on how you can bring your backyard to life, you can contact us at info@danthesparkyman.com.au
Dan Carpenter
Dan the Sparky Man
Come and join our social pages for the latest information, tips and product updates.
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Dan Carpenter has built his business to be one of the most successful and trusted electrical businesses on the Gold Coast. He completed his apprenticeship in Adelaide at a young age. With a passion for self-driven success, he established his own enterprise on the Gold Coast at 22, quickly becoming a leader in the local building and solar industries. His dedication led him to win the Gold Coast Small Business Award and earn the title of Accredited Master Electrician.
by Dan Carpenter | Dec 3, 2013 | 2013, Blog
After months of planning, our new website is finally here! We have listened to all of your ideas and have now finalised our more informational, more resourceful, and more user-friendly website.
The first key feature we have added is our Inspiration Gallery so you can get your creative juices flowing for your next renovation project. We have included photos to help you get ideas for everything from creating effective interior lighting plans to saving energy.
Our new website now has everything you need to know about solar power, including details on how much it can save you and how a solar panel system works. Our solar information kit can be accessed here.
We have also included descriptions of the top four products that are sure to save you the most on your electricity bill. You can read about these four products here.
Lastly, we have added an interactive LED Calculator to enable you to see just how much money these lights can save you.
We would like to say a massive thank you to Adam from Phyd Creative whose talent, hard work and patience has made our new website what it is. We highly recommend him to anyone looking to create a website or update their existing one.
We would love to hear your feedback on the new site, so don’t hesitate to drop us a line on info@danthesparkyman.com.au
If you would like more information or a free quote make sure you drop into our Gold Coast showroom.
Dan Carpenter
Dan the Sparky Man Come and join our social pages for the latest information, tips and products updates
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DantheSparkyMan
Twitter page: https://twitter.com/DanTheSparkyMan
Dan Carpenter has built his business to be one of the most successful and trusted electrical businesses on the Gold Coast. He completed his apprenticeship in Adelaide at a young age. With a passion for self-driven success, he established his own enterprise on the Gold Coast at 22, quickly becoming a leader in the local building and solar industries. His dedication led him to win the Gold Coast Small Business Award and earn the title of Accredited Master Electrician.
by Dan Carpenter | Nov 21, 2013 | 2013, Blog
When we are busy having fun in the sun, it’s easy to forget that our beautiful summer is also our storm season until it’s too late. All too often, we are approached after a severe thunderstorm has resulted in costly appliance damage, switchboard destruction or water damage in and around lights especially. To keep your home and more importantly your family safe during the impending storm season, there are a number of measures that Gold Coast residents can take.
Firstly, ensure that you have a Mains Surge Protector installed in your switchboard. This protects your appliances in the event of a power surge. If you don’t have one of these, unplug all appliances from the wall. It is not enough protection to simply turn them off.
Secondly, it is absolutely critical to have a Safety Switch installed in your switchboard – this protects you and your family from electric shocks and electrocution. Safety switches also minimise the risk of electricity-related fires. Moreover, it is now a legal requirement for all new homes to have safety switches protecting both power points and lighting circuits.
In the event that you suffer water damage, particularly in or around your lights, switches and powerpoints, do not touch them. Ensure you get them tested and checked by a licensed electrician as soon as possible. Also consider having a roof inspection prior to storm season if you think it could let water in or is prone to damage during a storm.
Another more general tip to consider is that in the event of a storm warning, you should make sure all mobile phones and tablets are fully charged ready in case of a blackout as even cordless home phones don’t work without power. Also remember to have a torch in a location known to all family members ready in the event of a blackout. And don’t forget to check the batteries!
It’s also a good idea to make certain that your pets’ registration and tags are current before storm season hits. Many dogs especially experience high stress and anxiety levels during storms and become more likely to run away or get lost, so assuring they are wearing their collar and their registration is up-to-date is vital.
Lastly, although we are all told time and time again, it is so important to remember to not touch or go anywhere near fallen power lines. It is also critical to walk carefully after a storm has taken place as power lines could be hiding among grass and debris. If you see a fallen power line contact Energex immediately.
For more tips on how you can stay safe this storm season, you can contact us on info@danthesparkyman.com.au
You can also visit the Queensland Government Electrical Safety page for more information on electrical safety in both storms and floods.
Dan Carpenter
Dan the Sparky Man Come and join our social pages for the latest information, tips and products updates
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DantheSparkyMan
Twitter page: https://twitter.com/DanTheSparkyMan
Dan Carpenter has built his business to be one of the most successful and trusted electrical businesses on the Gold Coast. He completed his apprenticeship in Adelaide at a young age. With a passion for self-driven success, he established his own enterprise on the Gold Coast at 22, quickly becoming a leader in the local building and solar industries. His dedication led him to win the Gold Coast Small Business Award and earn the title of Accredited Master Electrician.
by Dan Carpenter | Nov 6, 2013 | 2013, Blog
Our business was created on the premise that energy efficient solutions are the way of the future. That’s why we love nothing more than working to transform houses, businesses or estates to be as energy efficient as possible. Recently, we completed a project in Jimboomba where the outcome was a 6 star energy efficient rated boutique acreage property.
This stunning house is truly a labour of love for the home owners, who were the builders themselves. The owner/builders did not just want a visually appealing home, however – they wanted it to be energy efficient, which would allow them to save substantial costs and reduce their impact on the environment.
We were called in to consult with the owners prior and during the construction of the new home, to create and implement the electrical and lighting plans. Firstly, I worked closely with the homeowners to design a lighting plan that would give the house ambience and atmosphere. A key element to the plan was LED lighting technology which you can’t go past if you’re wanting energy efficient lighting for your home.
Both the indoor and outdoor features of the home were highlighted with LED lighting, giving their house that show home appeal. We also took advantage of pendant lights and installed these cleverly throughout the house. We used them as features, installing them on either side of the bed in the master bedroom to replace the traditional bedside table lamp. This worked well and gave this bedroom the wow factor the owners were after. We also used gimble LED downlights to highlight the feature walls in the home.
To further the energy efficiency, the owners also wanted solar power. We installed a 5kW Solar System which didn’t detract from the appearance of the roof.
In addition, the house was topped off with ceiling fans throughout and appliances were strategically connected to off peak tariffs.
If you love this Jimboomba house and would also like to make your home energy efficient, please do not hesitate to give us a call today.
Dan Carpenter
Dan the Sparky Man Come and join our social pages for the latest information, tips and products updates
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DantheSparkyMan
Twitter page: https://twitter.com/DanTheSparkyMan
Dan Carpenter has built his business to be one of the most successful and trusted electrical businesses on the Gold Coast. He completed his apprenticeship in Adelaide at a young age. With a passion for self-driven success, he established his own enterprise on the Gold Coast at 22, quickly becoming a leader in the local building and solar industries. His dedication led him to win the Gold Coast Small Business Award and earn the title of Accredited Master Electrician.
by Dan Carpenter | Oct 23, 2013 | 2013, Blog
At Dan the Sparky Man, we love nothing more than working with our great partners at Sunland Group to bring a dream energy-efficient estate to life. We have recently completed a major project entitled The Pines; a world-class residential development on the Gold Coast.
This residential townhouse development, which we began working on September 2012, was one of the largest under construction on the Gold Coast. After 11 months, 1,700 power points, and 61 kilometres of cable, we completed the 81 dwellings at The Pines in Pacific Pines on the Gold Coast in August this year. It was certainly very fulfilling to see the end result after almost a year of hard work. I had the opportunity to work with a number of great people and be a part of the project’s transition from concept to completion.
Sunland Group is an Australian development company based in Royal Pines on the Gold Coast. Design is paramount in everything they create as evidenced from their first residential home in 1983 to their iconic developments such as Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast and the landmark Q1, the World’s tallest residential tower. Their motto is “Creating Art Through Architecture”, which is very fitting for their residential development, The Pines at Pacific Pines.
Here is more information on what The Pines has to offers it’s residents.
The Pines features an exquisite collection of modern townhomes that satisfy all the demands of family life without compromising style. Immediately notable is the way the homes are attuned to their environment, with striking feature windows that capture the sun and bathe the entries in light. The front exterior contrast of dark grey and off-white gives the homes unique character and hints at the impressive design quality to be found inside. Carefully considered landscaping is present throughout the community, with homes enhanced by special touches such as ornamental trees and richly textured sculptural rock walls.
Every desirable element has been included, such as expansive, open-plan living spaces, three generous bedrooms, superior fixtures and fittings, and large bathrooms. High ceilings and a soaring double-storey void at the entrance create an enhanced sense of space, and set the tone for relaxed, luxury living.
For residents, the green spaces of The Pines will become a treasured feature, providing a welcome expanse for both recreation and relaxation. Two barbeque pavilions will provide the perfect opportunity for friends and neighbours to gather.
Residents can also enjoy the 68ha of open parkland within Pacific Pines, traversed by wide walking tracks and cycling trails, including lakes and wetlands, playgrounds and many other sporting facilities.
I am proud to have been involved with this Sunland Group development and those lucky enough to own one of these now outstanding energy efficient homes were happy with the end result too.
Our company is committed to furthering our social responsibility to the environment and is passionate about helping home & business owners to reduce their carbon footprint. If you love our work at The Pines and want to know more about energy efficiency, come down to our Gold Coast showroom and speak to me or one of my fantastic team members today.
Photos courtesy of Sunland Group.
Dan Carpenter
Dan the Sparky Man
Come and join our social pages for the latest information, tips and products updates
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DantheSparkyMan
Twitter page: https://twitter.com/DanTheSparkyMan
Dan Carpenter has built his business to be one of the most successful and trusted electrical businesses on the Gold Coast. He completed his apprenticeship in Adelaide at a young age. With a passion for self-driven success, he established his own enterprise on the Gold Coast at 22, quickly becoming a leader in the local building and solar industries. His dedication led him to win the Gold Coast Small Business Award and earn the title of Accredited Master Electrician.
