Back in the good old days, the most extensive pool lighting setup was the bulb in the deep end of the pool. Other than that no other light or landscaping was seen as necessary.
But times have changed. Today having the pool isn't enough. Homeowners want to have a nice looking pool area that not only looks great but also can be used any time of the day or night either for entertaining or personal enjoyment. Today your options for outdoor lighting around your pool are as limitless as lighting fixtures in your living room.
Lighting around the pool area is an important yet often overlooked feature. Underwater and area lighting should be present to provide the greatest degree of safety. For the underwater lighting you can still get the incandescent or halogen lights that have been used for years but an increasingly popular option if fiber optic lighting.
Since there is no electricity with fiber optics they are incredibly safe for use around water. Maintenance tends to be very easy as well and the lights will be highly customizable. Let's say you're having a poolside party and want to jazz up the pool lighting to match the decorations.
You can get a color wheel to add to the light source so that you can quickly change the color of the fiber optics, it just takes a quick change of a snap-on lens. You can make the pool even snazzier by adding a fiber optic strip bordering the pool to make it look even sharper.
If you still choose an incandescent or halogen bulb be aware of its placement. The biggest problem with these lights is the glare off the water. If that glare is reflecting right into your bedroom window, which will be very inconvenient. If there's no way to avoid this problem, you can install a dimmer to minimize it. But if there is any option that prevents the glare, you should take it.
You'll also want to give consideration to all of the new LED lighting options available for your pool. From the path around the pool to the pool itself, to the whole patio area, there are numerous options available in LED lights that can be easy to install, power saving, easy to maintain, cheaper over time and safer for you and your family since they often don't need electricity and can be powered with solar energy.
