Timers & Photocells

Want to save money on your electric bill and make your home or business safer at the same time? Timers and photocells will get the job done. You can use timers indoors or outdoors to control lighting, even when you’re not home. You can use photocells to control several features of your landscape.

What are outdoor timers and photocells used for?

Outdoor timers and photocells have two common uses: exterior lighting control and irrigation control.

Exterior lighting control

Landscape lighting or parking lot lighting makes your premises safer. Most criminals don’t like working in the light.

They can be useful even whether or not you live and work in a safe part of San Diego. Good lighting prevents slips and falls that can open you up to liability.

Meanwhile, a solid outdoor lighting system can get you insurance discounts. That’s true both of homeowners’ policies and commercial liability policies. Both policy types tend to reward risk-mitigation.

Though you can keep that lighting on a manual switch, it’s not as safe. It’s also not as cost-effective.  There will be times when you won’t be around to turn the lights on or off.

A timer will turn the lights on at dusk and off again at dawn. A photocell will sense the ambient lighting level. It will turn the lights on when it gets dark enough, and off when the sun is up. Either protects both your visitors and your budget.

Exterior irrigation control

Do you use sprinklers or an irrigation system to maintain your landscaping? In either case, it’s more convenient and cost-effective to use a timer.  You’ll waste less water and you’ll keep your landscaping nice without having to think about it.

Indoor timers

People most often use indoor timers to control interior lighting. Having a light or two come on at night when you’re not home makes burglars uncertain enough that they’ll almost always decide to move along. Add a TV or a radio to a timer and you keep unwelcome visitors guessing.

Combining timed lights with other security measures makes your home a tougher target. Nothing is foolproof, but the majority of criminals will take their mischief elsewhere. That set-up is especially useful for people who work long hours or who spend much time on the road.

How much does it cost to install timers or photocells?

Less than you might think, in most cases. But depends entirely on the set-up. How many lights do you need to put on the photocell? Will you install photocells outdoors and timers indoors? Do you want to swap your current lighting out for cost-effective LED lighting at the same time? Are you placing your irrigation system on timers as well?

Keep in mind these systems pay for themselves over time. The cost savings on your electric bill can be substantial. Some of our customers recoup their installation costs in less than a year.

We’ll work with you to understand your concerns and the equipment you need. Then we’ll give you a free, customizable quote designed to meet your needs. Contact Premo Electric today to get started.