Outdoor Gas Light - Historical and Green
In the early to mid 1800's, gas street lights appeared in the United States.
And now, the outdoor gas light is becoming popular again. And why not? It creates soft light reminiscent of the old gas light from the past and is beautiful.
Outdoor Gas Light Properties
The most beautiful gas lights have an open flickering flame, which creates a charming effect. A gas light fixture such as this gives off a wonderful soft glow. An added benefit is that it does not attract insects.
I incorporated gas lights into a design of mine. They were positioned along a driveway leading to the house. Charming!
Copper Gas Light
The gas light fixture can come in different finishes, but there are reasons to choose copper gas lights. Copper fixtures have lasted for 150 years as street lights.
Copper does not rust, rot, or deteriorate. A copper gas light will age beautifully. Copper is a renewable material. It can be re-used over and over again.
Controlling Gas Lights
Outdoor Gas Lights With Manual Regulation
All gas lanterns can run on gas without the need for electricity. The gas can be either natural gas or LP gas. Gas light fixtures have a manual gas valve, regulating the inflow of gas. By using this, you can manually turn your fixtures on and off.
Gas Lights With Electronic Gas Safety Starter
These provide increased energy conservation and efficiency.
An electric igniter requires a 120v electric line to be run from your home to the fixture. This allows you to regulate your gas light fixture from the convenience of your house.
The electronic igniters work just like a light switch for your gas light. When turned on, the gas is allowed to flow through the lantern causing the flame to turn on. When the switch is off, the flow of gas is stopped.
If you like, you can also use a timer with the electric igniter. Thus, your gas lights can be set to turn on and off at specific times of the day and night.
You can also choose to have a photocell installed. This is normally located on the side of your house. The photo cell is a solar regulator, although it operates on electricity, and thus an electric line is also needed. It is activated by the sun and works like solar lighting. No switch on the interior of the home is required.
A gas light is safe and gives off only very nominal carbon emissions.
I would like to thank Charleston Gas Light in Charleston, South Carolina for providing information on gas lights and theirs in particular. Charleston Gas Light lanterns are both historical and "green".
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