Soffit Lighting: What You Should Know

All You Need To Know About Soffit Lights

Soffit lighting is relatively discrete and low profile. It usually fits snugly on the underside of your soffit ceiling, installed in the overhang. You can use this discreet and tasteful lighting to accentuate certain features of your home’s exterior—such as statues, wall fixtures, doors, and patio areas.

The subtle glow of soffit lighting can create a beautiful atmosphere in your outdoor space, allowing you to enjoy spending time with your family and friends outside after dark.

Additionally, having exterior lighting on your house can help you increase security. The exterior lighting will help you see anyone or anything outside of your home after dark and help prevent break-ins. If your garden is well-lit, thieves and intruders will be less likely to attempt a break-in due to the lack of privacy.

Please note that it becomes more important to maintain and repair your soffits when you have light fixtures, as it may be more challenging to perform hefty repairs with electrical features installed.

What Are The Benefits Of Soffit Lighting?

Let’s look at what you can gain from installing soffit lighting in your home.

Enhanced Curb Appeal

Beautiful and subtle lighting on your home’s exterior will create a more upscale, elegant, and welcoming look. If your house looks welcoming at night, this will enhance your curb appeal and potentially boost the value of your home when it’s time to sell. Additionally, your neighbors might just draw inspiration from your decision to install soffit lighting.

Improved Security

Visibility in your garden is important to keep your home secure. If you have security cameras, lighting can help with visibility. And, a well-lit garden is a more risky target for any potential thieves or intruders scoping out your home.

Increased Visibility

When you’re enjoying dinner, drinks, and barbecues outdoors with your friends and family, you don’t want the night to end when it gets dark. Your soffit lighting will help keep your deck, patio, or garden well-lit, even after dark, allowing you to enjoy late evenings with more safety and light.

Low Maintenance

If you opt for long-lasting LED lights, you won’t need to worry about maintenance. Soffit lights rarely need changing, and you won’t need to do much to keep them running. This option is far less work than a fire pit or lamps outside your home.

Energy Efficiency With LED Soffit Lights

LED lights can provide energy efficiency, so you won’t need to worry about your soffit lights increasing your monthly energy bills. Who said that home lighting had to come at the cost of your carbon footprint?

Types Of Soffit Lights

If you’ve decided that soffit lights are the right option, it’s time to explore your options. Below are some of the different soffit lights you can choose from—and the benefits of each unique lighting option.

Can Lights

Can lights are shaped like cylinders, only installed into the wall, which is why they are also known as recessed lights. If you want a discreet light fixture, a can light is one of your best options. However, if you live in an area with lots of insects, then can lights can be a hive for bug activity.

Floodlights

If you’re adding soffit lights for security, you should consider floodlights. With floodlights, you will gain maximized visibility in your garden and outdoor space. Floodlights are typically seen in places like football fields as they can light a large space with only a few bulbs.

Colored Lights

To create an ambient atmosphere in your outdoor space, you should consider colored light fixtures. You can even opt for lights that change between different colors so you can change your home’s look and feel whenever you want!

Spotlights

Spotlights are typically found in a home’s interior and are a standard ceiling lighting option. If you’re looking for a simple outdoor lighting solution that is relatively low maintenance, you should consider installing spotlights.

Under-deck Lights

Who says you have to install your soffit lights overhead? You can install them under your deck or balcony to create an expensive and sophisticated look. This lighting option is relatively soft, so it’s not recommended for security or visibility reasons—though it does create a pleasant, warm, and welcoming atmosphere.

Lights For Dark Corners And Focal Points

If you have any dangerous dark corners in your outdoor space, with hazards that someone could trip over, you’ll benefit from using soffit lights to illuminate these areas. Likewise, if you want to draw attention to a particular feature in your garden or on your home’s exterior—such as doors, windows, and decking—you can install soffit lights in these areas.

Tape Or Rope Lighting

Tape or rope lighting is the easiest to install under your soffits and can be the cheapest option. You can get color-changing or flashing lights for your outdoor space to add some excitement. However, one caveat of this lighting option is that it could create the appearance of Christmas lighting, which may not be ideal year-round!

Factors To Consider When Installing Soffit Lighting

Let’s discuss some factors you’ll need to consider once you’ve decided what type of soffit lighting you want. Your home may not support the lighting you want, but luckily, there are plenty of options.

Electrical Requirements

You must provide an electrical supply to install soffit lighting on your home’s exterior. Depending on the kind of light fixture you choose, you might not need to install wiring within your soffit. But, if you opt for can lights or spotlights, you must install a wiring connection.

Placement

You must decide where to put the lights when you install lighting for your soffit. If you’re placing them along your soffit, you should decide how far apart you would like each light to be—this will affect the brightness and the light they provide in your outdoor space.

If you’re placing soffit lights to accentuate features or lighten dark areas in your outdoor space, you’ll need to decide which features to accentuate, along with any symmetry considerations. Be sure to account for your soffit vents when planning the placement of your soffit lights.

Size And Type Of Fixtures

As discussed in the previous section, you should look at the different types of lighting suitable for your soffit. You should also look at the different sizes of lights available. Your lights should be proportionate to the size of your soffit, and they should not be so large that they appear oversized or undersized in proportion to your home.

Timers And Controls

You can opt for energy-saving solutions when installing soffit lights, such as timers and controls. You can set a timer to ensure your lights are only on when it’s dark out, and you can implement controls for the brightness, ensuring you’re not wasting unnecessary energy.

Common Mistakes When Installing Soffit Lighting

Taking the wrong turn when installing soffit lighting can make your soffit lights look less aesthetically pleasing and even ridiculous. Here are some common mistakes people make when installing soffit lighting.

Using Soffit Lights That Are Too Bright

Your soffit lights shouldn’t make your home feel like a football field at night. They are simply there to provide gentle lighting for your outdoor space. If you opt for harsh white lights, this can ruin the cozy feel of your outdoor space. Opt for soft, warm lighting with adjustable brightness to avoid making this mistake.

Using Too Many Soffit Lights

Too many soffit lights can look plain ridiculous. And, if you install more soffit lights than you need, you’ll be using more energy than necessary to light your outdoor space. If you overdo it with the soffit lights, it can create a cluttered and inelegant look on your home’s exterior.

Not Lighting Your Landscaping—Only The Soffit

When you install soffit lights, you need to think about how your outdoor space will look. If the rest of your outdoor space is dark, you will not be maximizing the appeal of your home at night. You should consider lighting key features of your landscaping, too. This includes paths, decking, and even fountains or doorways. Small accents of light can make your outdoor space pop.

Which Soffit Lights Are Best For You?

Ultimately, the best soffit lights for you will depend on your preferences and your home’s appearance. You should contact a professional to help you through the process, consulting them on the best soffit lights for your home’s aesthetic. They will have plenty of experience to help you achieve your desired look.

Takeaway

If you’re considering installing soffit lights for your home’s exterior, you’re making a great decision. Your home will be more secure and you will be able to see better at night. Not to mention, your home will look warm, welcoming, and ambient!

For your next exterior home project, why not connect with our professional team at HB ELEMENTS? We have plenty of experience creating elegant and luxurious home exteriors for all styles!