Add Lighting in the Garage: Top 4 Options

Your garage may be the top place where you do all your home improvement projects, making it a necessity to add lighting that works well. Even if you don't use it as a workroom, good lighting is important for parking and to see when traveling from the garage to your home safely. If all you do is use your garage for storage, you can still benefit from proper lighting to find the items you need when you need them. Here are 4 top options for garage lighting:

1 - Skylights

This is for the garage that gets a lot of usage. If you use the garage for work all the time, during the daytime, then skylights are a great option. However, these are expensive to install, and the energy you'll save using skylights instead of electricity must justify the expense. If it does, than these are a great option, because you get to take advantage of natural sunlight, which is free. You'll need to combine it with some of the options discussed below during the nighttime.

2 - Drop Lights

Drop lights may appear to be old fashioned when you're considering your options to add lighting to the garage. However, this is a tried and proven method that still tops the list. You can plug it straight into your garage outlet, and the light itself has an outlet on it to plug your tools directly into it. One drawback to using drop lights with incandescent bulbs is that if you're working directly underneath it, and your garage ceiling is low, it can get hot. However, that's easy to solve by positioning your workbench or work area away from the drop light, so that you're not directly underneath it.

3 - Fluorescent Light Fixtures

Install fluorescent light fixtures in the garage, if you prefer fluorescent lights over incandescent bulbs. Two choices for fluorescent lights in the garage are the T8 or T12 bulbs, with the first tubular (the "T") measuring 8 inches in diameter and the second measuring 12 inches in diameter. The T8 uses an electric ballast, and the T12 uses a magnetic ballast. While fluorescent lights are popular, there are some disadvantages to be aware of. First, these tend to flicker when it gets cold, which is not the best thing when you're in the middle of working. For example, a T12 fluorescent bulb does not work well when the temperature hits below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The T8 bulbs don't have this problem, and the temperature can reach as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, making them a safety hazard if they break.

4 - LED Cordless Garage Lights

LED lights are not known for being bright, but there are super bright LED lights available for use in the garage. For example, you can buy a 60 LED cordless light that will work for up to 5 hours before it needs to be recharged. However, recharging it every 5 hours is one disadvantage to using this technology. Factor how you plan to use the garage to help you decide if you want to add lighting that requires you to recharge it from time to time.

Add lighting in the garage to make your work and storage more effective. Weigh the pros and cons presented for each of these lighting options to help you make the right decision.