{"title":"Outdoor Lighting","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOutdoor lighting in Canada has a job description most fixtures aren't built for.\u003c\/strong\u003e It has to work at minus thirty, survive freeze-thaw cycles that crack cheap seals, shed snow load, and keep a walkway visible when the sun sets at 4:15 in December. A fixture that's fine on a patio in Arizona is a one-winter fixture here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eStart with the rating, not the look\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTwo things determine whether an outdoor fixture lasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWet-rated vs damp-rated.\u003c\/strong\u003e A \u003cstrong\u003edamp-rated\u003c\/strong\u003e fixture is for covered locations — a porch ceiling, a soffit, a spot that never takes direct precipitation. A \u003cstrong\u003ewet-rated\u003c\/strong\u003e fixture handles direct rain, snow and meltwater. On an exposed wall, a post, or anywhere in the yard, wet-rated is the only correct answer. Damp-rated fixtures in exposed positions fail through water ingress, usually in the first spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGasket and housing quality.\u003c\/strong\u003e Canadian freeze-thaw is brutal on seals — water gets in, freezes, expands, and splits the gasket. Look for sealed housings and marine-grade or powder-coated finishes rather than thin painted steel, which rusts from the inside once the coating is breached.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe four things people actually light\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEntry and front door.\u003c\/strong\u003e Wall sconces flanking a door, or a single fixture above it. Mount at roughly \u003cstrong\u003e66 to 72 inches from the threshold\u003c\/strong\u003e to the centre of the fixture. For a pair, size each at about one-third the door height; for a single fixture above the door, one-quarter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWalkways and driveways.\u003c\/strong\u003e Path lights and post lights. In Canada, mounting height matters for a reason people forget: \u003cstrong\u003ea path light shorter than your average snowbank disappears in January.\u003c\/strong\u003e Taller stems and post-mounted fixtures stay useful all year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGarden and architecture.\u003c\/strong\u003e Low-voltage landscape lighting — spots on trees, grazing light on stone and brick. Running on 12V through a transformer, it's the one category of exterior lighting most homeowners can install without an electrician.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePatios and decks.\u003c\/strong\u003e Wall lights, string-free pendants under a covered roof, and outdoor chandeliers for a three-season room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSolar and motion sensors, realistically\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSolar outdoor lights work here — with a caveat.\u003c\/strong\u003e Northern latitudes mean short winter days and low sun angles, and a panel under snow charges nothing. Solar is excellent from April to October and unreliable in deep winter. For a walkway you need lit year-round, hardwired or low-voltage is the honest choice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotion sensors\u003c\/strong\u003e are worth it for security and for not fumbling with keys in the dark. Check the operating temperature range on the spec — some sensor modules become erratic below -20°C.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWiring and certification\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery fixture is built for \u003cstrong\u003e120V at 60Hz\u003c\/strong\u003e Canadian residential supply, or 12V for low-voltage landscape systems. Exterior fixtures on a permanent circuit are hardwired and, in most provinces, \u003cstrong\u003enew outdoor circuits require a permit and inspection\u003c\/strong\u003e. Replacing an existing exterior fixture on an existing box is a reasonable DIY job with the breaker off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCertification matters more outdoors than anywhere else, both for insurance and for safety. Look for the \u003cstrong\u003eCSA or cUL mark\u003c\/strong\u003e on anything going into a wet location.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBuy exterior lighting in spring or early summer if you can: installing a post light into frozen ground in November is a job nobody enjoys twice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom a Canadian company that knows what a February looks like.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's the difference between wet-rated and damp-rated?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDamp-rated fixtures suit covered locations that never take direct precipitation — porch ceilings, soffits. Wet-rated fixtures handle direct rain and snow and are required for exposed walls, posts and open yard positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDo solar outdoor lights work in Canadian winters?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePartially. Short days, low sun angle and snow cover on the panel mean solar performs well from spring through fall and unreliably in deep winter. For year-round walkway lighting, choose hardwired or low-voltage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow high should outdoor wall lights be mounted?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 66 to 72 inches from the threshold to the centre of the fixture. For a pair flanking a door, size each at roughly one-third the door height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I install landscape lighting myself?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLow-voltage 12V landscape systems run off a plug-in transformer and are designed for homeowner installation. Permanent 120V exterior circuits are electrician work and generally need a permit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill outdoor fixtures survive -30°C?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuality wet-rated fixtures with sealed housings will. The failure point in Canadian conditions is almost always the gasket, not the fixture body — check the operating temperature range listed on each product page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat certification should I look for?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA CSA or cUL mark, particularly on anything in a wet location. It matters for safety and for your insurer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between wet-rated and damp-rated outdoor lighting?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Damp-rated fixtures suit covered locations that never take direct precipitation such as porch ceilings and soffits. Wet-rated fixtures handle direct rain and snow and are required for exposed walls, posts and open yard positions.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Do solar outdoor lights work in Canadian winters?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Partially. Short days, low sun angle and snow cover on the panel mean solar performs well from spring through fall and unreliably in deep winter.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How high should outdoor wall lights be mounted?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"About 66 to 72 inches from the threshold to the centre of the fixture. For a pair flanking a door, size each at roughly one-third the door height.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can I install landscape lighting myself?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Low-voltage 12V landscape systems run off a plug-in transformer and are designed for homeowner installation. Permanent 120V exterior circuits are electrician work and generally need a permit.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Will outdoor fixtures survive -30C?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Quality wet-rated fixtures with sealed housings will. The failure point in Canadian conditions is almost always the gasket.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What certification should outdoor lighting have?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A CSA or cUL mark, particularly on anything in a wet location. It matters for safety and for your insurer.\"}}]}\n\u003c\/script\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/maisonmonashee.com\/collections\/outdoor-lighting.oembed","provider":"Maison Monashee ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}