Having a good lighting in the yard is one of those things that every homeowner must do at some point, either for a social function or for basic navigation. What’s changed is how it’s being done, with solar lights becoming a lot more popular, and not just for outdoor lighting, but for indoor lighting as well. Better yet, if your memory of solar lights was of something that was a bit ungainly or downright ugly, that’s changed as well – they’ve gotten much smaller and less obtrusive.

How do they function? They are lights that are powered by solar cells; most of them will use a low energy lighting element, like an LED or a compact fluorescent, to let the light run from the battery for as long as possible. What sizes have you seen lately? They’re maybe the size of a coffee cup for the entire unit, including the photovoltaic collector on the top. They’ve also come down in price as making them more affordable than ever before.

Do you know that most solar lights are all weather ready, they have the lighting element itself (the bulb, etc) which is in a weather tight container, such as clear plastic or a glass dome. Somewhere on it will be a photovoltaic collector that should be put up in the direction of the sun. A closer inspection of the unit reveals the casing of a converter and battery assembly; depending on how much sunlight these get, they can run for 5 or more hours after a full day’s charge, and more expensive models can run for more than that.

Why are they flying off the shelves? The reasons for buying these boil down to long term costs. Many of them – especially with those that have LED lighting elements – will last for many, many years, and what’s more, they don’t pull power from the house’s the electric grid. The buying cost for these effectively becomes free after the first year that they’re in your garden. This also leaves more power for things like air conditioning, which can be inevitable in the summer especially to many people with health worries.

Have you taking a look at your neighbors homes at night lately? People’s homes are looking more tasteful with the new solar lights nowadays. Another drive in the minds of buyers is the stated fact that they aren’t as big or bulky as they use to be. They also look a lot better cosmetically and can blend in with almost any scenery. They come in a many defferent colors and compliment gardens, and the flower arrangements very well. They also work well with porches and decks.

If you like creativity, then you are in for a treat with solar lights. Due to their variety, flexibility and utility, they’ve inspired a lot of creative light displays and setups. They can be used to highlight a garden for night parties, marking walk ways. They have also done well as security devices when hooked up to a motion sensor.

Considering the fact that home improvement budgets have been slashed with the current economic downturn, these lights have proven to be the exception to the rule – they are beautiful, elegant, affordable and, flexible. Moreover, they allow home owners to express their creativity on a tight budget. They also don’t have recurring costs in the form of ongoing electric bills. Many home owner have considered them to be the harbinger of things to come for self powered home improvement.

Indeed, Solar lights are a great cost effective way to add charm to the look of your home and garden. They’re small, affordable, and can be bought in stages to improve the house, and they’re low maintenance and unobtrusive. They also look elegant when used with complementary backgrounds.