Do you plan on adding patio string lights to your home now that Summer is finally here and aren’t sure what kinds are readily available? The most common types you’ll find at your local home improvement store are strands of colored or white lights that are four to eight long and have the small lights spaced every eight to twelve inches on them. At one end there is a electrical plug so that you can plug it into a convenient outdoor outlet on your patio.
But there are many different styles and types of string lights that are available (and many lighting manufacturers, such as Baldwin outdoor lighting products, are just entering the field of patio lights) so you’ll easily find a type that will reflect your homes decor and your sense of style.
When it comes to patio string lights there are two main kinds for you to choose from: solar string lights and traditional 12 volt string lights. Both types have their pros and cons and one type may be more suitable for your home than the other. Both types of lights are available in the same styles and designs, so you’ll just need to decide which kind best suits your home.
Solar string lights have become more popular in the last ten to fifteen years or so because of advancements in solar technology and because they don’t use any electricity to power them. Instead, they have a small solar panel attached to the light strand when ordinarily an electrical plug would be. The main benefit of using solar string lights is that they don’t cost anything to use, while the biggest downside of using them is that if they don’t get charged your lights won’t turn on.
The biggest advantage of using traditional string lights is that your lights will always turn on when you want them to with just a flick of the light switch. But they do cost electricity to use, unlike solar lights, and if your home loses power you won’t be able to use them at all.