This October, forget Ghostbusters
It's MythBusters Season.
'Tis the season for permanent lighting, and 'tis the season for sales pitches. Before you buy for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and every night after, see the biggest myths in this industry, busted 1 at a time.
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The truth series
Why we're doing this
Every October, the sales pitches start and so do the myths. We install permanent lighting every day, and we hear what homeowners are being told at the kitchen table. A lot of it isn't true. So here is the honest version, whether you buy from us or not.
The hardware is closer than you think
Much of the permanent lighting hardware on the market is manufactured overseas, and several brands source from the same factories. Very few systems are made in the United States. JellyFish Lighting is 1 of them, and it is the only USA-made system we carry.
The app is the real difference
What matters is what the software lets you do with your home. Custom zones and different colors on different sections, or 1 pattern across the entire house.
The company matters most
New lighting companies appear every day, and some only add it to fill a slow season. A warranty is only as good as the company still standing behind it.
Full transparency
The 3 systems we sell, and why
We carry 3 systems and we believe in all 3. Seamless color-matched track, extremely bright LEDs, and apps that are constantly updated and sync to music. The right one comes down to which app fits how you'll actually use it.
JellyFish Lighting
Made in the USA
Owns and manufactures its own lights and controllers in the United States, with a mature app and a long track record.
See the systemBosso Smart Lighting
Dedicated true white
Smart color control with a dedicated true white diode, built-in music sync, and deep zone customization in the app.
See the systemNexwave Smart Lighting
Our house brand
Our flagship system with a dedicated true white, full zone control, and a lifetime warranty on parts and labor through us.
See the systemSome homeowners want to customize every zone of the house. Some just want to tap a preset and go. Both are fine, and all 3 of these systems do both.
Do your homework
Ask every company these 5 questions
- Can I see the app before I buy, and can it run different patterns on different zones?
- Does the warranty cover labor and service calls, or only parts?
- Who installs it, your own crews or subcontractors?
- How fast can I reach a real person when something goes wrong?
- How long have you been in business, and will you be here in 10 years?
We have served this area for over 20 years through All American Irrigation Systems, and we are not going anywhere. Because people buy from people, not from companies. Do your homework, ask the hard questions, and buy from whoever you feel comfortable with.
The series
7 myths. Busted.
These are the 7 claims we hear most from homeowners who are shopping other companies. Here is what is actually true about each one.
"Our track is better than everyone else's."
Nearly every professional system uses a color-matched channel, usually aluminum. They mount along the fascia or under the soffit, hide the wiring, and blend into your trim. They all do the same job.
The truth: the track is not what makes a system great. The install is. Straight lines, tight corners, and a perfect color match come from the crew, not the metal.
"A lifetime warranty covers everything."
Almost every lifetime warranty in this industry covers parts only. Not labor, not service calls. And no warranty outlives the company offering it. Anyone can promise a lifetime. The question is who will still be here to honor it.
The truth: we have served this area for over 20 years and back every Nexwave install with a lifetime warranty on parts and labor. No fine print games.
"If it's patented, it's better."
A patent means a design is different from what came before it. That is all it means. It does not mean brighter, cleaner, or better looking on your home. Some patents thrown around in this industry are over a decade old.
The truth: ask to see finished houses instead of paperwork. Drive by one during the day and look at the corners. Judge the work, not the paperwork.
"It pays for itself in 5 to 7 years."
That is salesman math. Nobody buys permanent lighting as an investment account. You buy it because you are done with ladders, done with paying install crews every November, and done with a dark house the other 10 months of the year.
The truth: security lighting every night, game day colors on Saturday, and holiday scenes in 1 tap. The value starts the first night you turn them on.
"Our lights are brighter and our system is better."
Brightness across the major brands is far closer than the sales pitches suggest. Brightness is not the battle anymore. The real difference is the software. Can you zone your house and run different colors on different sections? Can you build custom patterns? Does the app actually get updated?
The truth: some systems still cannot run more than 1 pattern across the whole house. Ask to see the app before you buy, and ask when it was last updated.
"HOAs prefer our brand."
We work with HOAs all the time and not once has one asked whether our system is better than another brand. HOAs do not shop lighting brands. They ask if it is installed by a professional lighting company, if the wires will be hidden, and more and more, whether you can control the zones. Front bright for security, sides dimmed so you are not blinding the neighbor.
The truth: the installer matters, not the logo.
"A 48V system is better than a 12V system."
We get this question every week. Somebody told a homeowner that 12V is the cheap option and 48V is the real thing. It isn't true. Both run the same LEDs at the same brightness. The difference is how far power travels down the line before it needs another feed. 48V carries farther, so long runs need fewer power injections and less wire. On a really big house, that can mean fewer jumps and fewer things to go wrong down the road. 12V needs feeds a little closer together, and on most homes that is a non-issue.
The truth: we sell both. A properly wired 12V system and a properly wired 48V system look identical on your house. We'll tell you which one fits your home and why, and then it is your call. Voltage is a fit decision, not a quality grade.
The finale
How these systems
actually work
No brand names, no scoreboard. Just what a permanent lighting system is made of, and what actually matters when you compare 2 quotes.
A color-matched channel, usually aluminum
Nearly every professional system uses one. It mounts along the fascia or under the soffit and hides the wiring. A good track disappears in daylight. What makes it disappear is the install, not the brand stamped on it.
Flush pucks or bulb style. Look at both in daylight.
Some lights sit flush inside the track. Some use a bulb that sticks out below it. They light the same at night. The daytime look is different, and that is a personal call. Ask to see both installed on a real house before you decide.
3-in-1 RGB, with or without a dedicated white
Most lights use a 3-in-1 RGB diode that mixes colors. Some systems add a dedicated true white diode for cleaner everyday and security lighting. If you plan to run white most nights, ask which one you are getting.
12V and 48V both work. Wiring is what matters.
Higher voltage carries power farther between feeds, which can mean less wire on a large home. Lower voltage needs feeds a little closer together. Done right, they look the same. We install both. Judge the installer, not the number.
Mostly overseas, with a few exceptions
Much of the permanent lighting hardware sold today is manufactured overseas, and several brands source from the same factories. A few systems, JellyFish among them, are made in the United States. Ask any company where their lights come from and where the track is made.
This is where systems actually differ
Zoning, custom patterns, music sync, scheduling, and how often it gets updated. Two systems with nearly identical hardware can feel completely different to live with. Always see the app before you sign.
If a company can answer all 6 of these clearly, you're talking to a real lighting company. If they change the subject to their brand, you have your answer.
1 last piece of homework
If a lighting company spends its energy bashing other companies instead of showing you their own work, ask yourself why. Nobody attacks a competitor they aren't worried about. Judge every company the same way. Look at their finished houses, try their app, and talk to their customers. The work speaks for itself.
Ready for the honest way to buy lighting?
Ask about the app. Ask about zoning. Ask who shows up when you need service. Then ask us for a free quote, on-site or by satellite.
Get a Free Quote Call 830-980-8899Locally Owned & Operated · Serving San Antonio, New Braunfels & the surrounding areas
