LIGHTING Lundberg also recommends a cordless landscape
blower to assist in quick site cleanup at the job’s conclu- sion. “Our goal is to make sure we leave the area better than we found it,” he says. “Part of that is to blow off the site. Te homeowners always love seeing that we give their property extra care and attention. And the hum of the blower is nice because it lets them know we’re giving their property some TLC.”
Pieces and parts
Just as important as hand tools, lighting contractors say several components and spare parts are vital to a com- prehensive toolkit. A landscape lighting professional knows to show up with lots of extra wire, including 12/2, 14/2 and 16/2 landscape cables. When joining or splic- ing wire, most pros prefer a heat-shrink sleeve connector with a silicone sealant that offers a water-tight gasket and a neat and tidy appearance. It also pays to have an assortment of commonly used screws, nuts and washers to substitute for lost or missing components.
Pest control
Crews working out in the elements often encounter na- ture’s outdoor denizens. And some have nasty reputa-
tions that require solutions as vital as any shovel, screw- driver or trencher. When engaged in ladder work, there’s nothing worse than setting it up near a bee or hornet’s nest hidden be- hind a light fixture or housed under a nearby roof gut- ter. “Wasp and hornet spray is super important to have with you,” Vande Hey says. “It’s very uncomfortable to get stung and some people can have an allergic reaction, which is extremely dangerous.” Fire ants are a nuisance throughout the South, and
Carli takes precautions to avoid their painful bites. “Fire ants are abundantly available here,” he says. “Tey’re nas- ty, and they hurt when you stumble upon a nest. You’ll see mounds built up around a transformer or a fixture. We keep granular fire ant products on all of our trucks to deal with them.” Further to the Midwest, Wisconsin summers bring out swarms of mosquitos, so Vande Hey ensures his trucks are stocked with ample repellant. “Mosquito spray is a big one to protect our crews,” he adds. “We’ve got boxes of it here.”
Mike Zawacki is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of ex- perience covering various aspects of the green industry.
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irrigationandlighting.org hydropoint.com/baseline June 2023 Irrigation & Lighting 23
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