FAQ’s

Landscape Lighting Frequently Asked Questions

 

  • Why TouchStone?


TouchStone Accent Lighting was founded on the principal of highlighting the unique aspects of your home and landscape by focusing on the effects created by low-voltage lighting.

Through more than 20 years of landscape lighting design and field installation experience came lighting systems that are not only premium quality, but most importantly, very effective in producing the desired lighting effects within your environment. All TouchStone fixtures are designed to be inconspicuous during the day and provide dramatic, indirect lighting effects at night. We design all our fixtures to crop or hide the source of light and highlight unique features within your landscape.

Uniquely, among other manufacturers, TouchStone has designed and installed thousands of residential and commercial projects throughout the upper Midwest and Southwest, and continues to install hundreds of jobs each year. This ongoing, hands-on landscape lighting design and installation experience gives TouchStone the expertise to continue providing our direct customers with breathtaking results and the training capabilities to keep our dealers proficient with the latest products and techniques.

Nothing can showcase your home and make it more inviting than accent lighting. TouchStone trained Illuminologists are full-service professionals that can design, install and service the right lighting system for you. Let us create a safer nighttime environment and extend your personal space!

 

THE TOUCHSTONE PROCESS 

As a full-service manufacturer, TouchStone Accent Lighting® also provides complete design, installation and maintenance services for the consumer in both the Minneapolis-St. Paul andPhoenix markets, utilizing TouchStone’s own proprietary lighting products. (For the do-it-yourself homeowner, TouchStone uniquely provides an E-Design Service to assist you with landscape lighting design and installation. Please see “E-Design Services” at the top of page.)

Outdoor lighting projects all start with a design phase. A TouchStone trained Illuminologist will arrange a convenient time to meet at your property to discuss the project. This meeting is complimentary and carries no further obligation on your part. During this meeting, the Illuminologist will tour the property and discuss with you, accent lighting recommendations for decorative or highlighting purposes, as well as considering safety and security aspects.

After gaining a thorough understanding of the scope of the project, the Illuminologist will prepare drawings to layout the landscape lighting design plan. TouchStone’s Illuminologists are trained low voltage lighting experts and can usually develop a plan onsite.

Following development of a plan and approval by the homeowner, installation is scheduled. Most installations can be accomplished in one day. Some properties can require implementation in stages either due to property size, other landscaping in process or financial considerations. TouchStone Illuminologists are accustomed to working in this environment and can implement staged plans that require multiple installation schedules.

Installation technicians do not use power equipment for the installation. Cable runs are dug by hand so there is very little interruption to the landscape. In many cases, the homeowner will not even know that we have been there.

TouchStone retains the original landscape lighting design plan in the customer file, so if service needs develop over time, we can easily troubleshoot the problem and maintain the system in good working order. TouchStone also offers service plans to keep your system trouble-free. Contact your local TouchStone Illuminologist for details.

 

  • Common questions about LED landscape lighting

 

  • Why is LED landscape lighting a good alternative to conventional halogen or xenon lamps?LED lamps are safer because they generate very little heat and when operating, are cool to the touch. LED lamps do not contain any mercury.
  • How long do they last? Our LEDs are rated for 50,000 hours or with typical operation between 15 and 20 years.
  • Can I install myself? Yes. Any of our products can be self-installed. We include telephone support through E-Design Services. We will also assist your professional with design and installation.
  • How efficient is LED landscape lighting? LEDs consume 90% less energy than conventional 12 volt landscape lighting or 100% less when used with our solar controller.
  • Do they operate in the winter and snow? Yes, but due to the minimal heat dissipated by the LEDs, ground-mounted flood fixtures may become covered in snow and may need to be cleared occasionally.
  • How will the neighbors view my lights? All of our lighting sytems are designed to be in-direct. All light sources are shielded and designed not to shine light in unwanted areas.
  • Are LEDs bright enough? Yes, the effects created by our LED fixtures are as bright as effects created by our halogen and xenon lamped fixtures.
  • What color are they? All of our LEDs are warm white in color. The color rendition is very similar to halogen.

Questions about our Solar Controller landscape lighting systems

  • How long will the system provide power? Under optimal conditions, the system at full load, is designed to provide 18 hours of power.
  • How many lights can I operate with the solar controller? We recommend a maximum of 14 watts be used. Our LED fixtures are configured to utilize either 1 or 3 watt LEDs, so a total of 14 lights could be used if they were all garden lights using the 1 watt LED.
  • Can I install myself? Yes. Any of our products can be self installed. We include an installation DVD and telephone support. Professional design and installation services are available throughinfo@touchstonelights.com
  • How cost effective are Solar Controller systems? Because they are solar powered, they consume no energy and therefore operating costs are zero.
  • Do they operate in the winter and snow? Yes, but due to the lower sun angle, shorter days, and potential extended cloudiness in the winter months, performance can be diminished.
  • Is the battery easy to replace? The battery is readily available and can be purchased through TouchStone’s battery recycle exchange program or your local battery retailer.
  • How long will the battery last? The battery in the Solar Controller will typically last 3-4 years in regions that experience extreme heat, and 5-6 years in other regions.
  • What is the product warranty? The solar panel and chassis warranty is 10 years. The controller warranty is 12 months.
  • Can I change the timer setting? The Solar Controller features a photo-cell “On” with 10 minute delay, and 1-8 hour timer “Off” settings. We recommend 6 hours maximum “On” time per night.