There’s no denying the appeal of large outdoor water fountains, and they are becoming extremely popular with a vast segment of this country’s general population, just because of their broad, natural appeal. Few things look more attractive in your backyard than a stately and functional large garden fountain.
Some of the best designs of large outdoor fountains can quickly become the centerpiece of the entire backyard, drawing all attention to them from visitors and neighbors, as well as from your family members. Whether you’re in the planning stages of putting in a large outdoor water fountain with LED lights, or one without any lighting at all, there are some factors you should consider before you put cash on the counter to purchase one. Some of these considerations may be deal-breakers, while others are just essential details that you have to plan for.
Fountain location
One of the first things you should consider is the location where your extra large outdoor fountain will be placed. You might be tempted to locate it in the center of your backyard, but that’s not always the best solution, and there be may be other factors about your yard which need to be considered before deciding on a final location.
One thing you should make sure of is that the fountain is not placed against any other large object because you will need complete access to the fountain, on all sides, or around the entire circular perimeter. Another factor in deciding where your large outdoor water fountain should be placed in the proximity to electrical connections. You should either place the fountain close by an existing outdoor electrical connection, or you should be prepared to run a cable from an existing outlet to whatever location you have chosen for your fountain.
Lighting options
Most people who own a large outdoor garden fountain want it to be seen and enjoyed by everyone who visits, and possibly even everyone who walks by the house. If you plan to be in your backyard on some evenings to enjoy listening to your fountain and watching it, you should bear in mind that it will get dark eventually, and you’ll need some kind of lighting option that will emphasize and highlight your beautiful outdoor fountain.
In some cases, large outdoor water fountains come with their own lighting, but you should plan on installing a light source so that you can maximize the visibility of your garden fountain. Large outdoor fountains with LED lights have become a popular choice because of the efficiency and illuminating power of LED lights. This will be a personal preference, and you may opt for something straightforward, or you may opt for colored blinking lights.
You also should consider whether you want to make your lighting a subtle solution, or if you wish to illuminate the entire backyard with something brilliant. Keep in mind that the colored lights are not nearly as bright as white lights are, so if you intend to keep it subtle, colored lights are probably your best option.
Water source
Generally, during setup, an outdoor garden fountain will be hooked up to your home water supply, which means that you’ll have a continuous source of water, as long as it’s turned on inside the household. However, you may need to install a cutoff valve, so that you can stop the flow of water to the fountain when you want to. Otherwise, it will be running continuously along with your household water supply.
An excellent place to do this is right close to the fountain itself, so that for instance, when you’re ready to go inside for the evening, it will be a simple matter to shut the water off at the fountain and cause the water to stop flowing. You’ll also need to consider some connecting hose which would be placed between your household water supply and the garden fountain.
There are ways of making this connecting hose less conspicuous if you prefer not to have the connection visible. If that’s not an issue, you can run any garden hose between the house and the outdoor fountain to keep it supplied with water at all times.
Power source
Your large outdoor garden fountain will, of course, run on electricity, and that means you need a power source to keep it operating for as often and as long as you want. Some of the most common power sources for outdoor garden fountains are solar-powered energy sources and hard-wired energy sources. Hard-wired fountains get their source of energy from an electric power supply, and for this, you will probably have to engage the services of a licensed electrician.
It will be necessary to contract with one of these specialists because it will be considered by local authorities as an addition to your home’s electrical grid when you hard-wire a garden fountain to your power supply. If you choose to go the route where you power your garden fountain by solar energy, this can be a little easier and is considerably less technical. These kinds of fountains don’t need any electrical supply, since the solar panels provide all the power required to operate your outdoor garden fountain, including sufficient force to keep the pumps running indefinitely. Some garden fountains are constructed to work correctly with one kind of power source or another, so when you’re out browsing for ‘large outdoor
fountains near me,’ pay attention to their power sources as well. Make sure they’re a good fit for your backyard, so you won’t have to go to tremendous extra expense to install some power source to keep your beautiful outdoor garden fountain operating.
Maintenance plan
This is not one of the most commonly remembered factors related to purchasing a large outdoor water fountain, but it is one of the most important. You should have a solid plan for regular maintenance on your outdoor water fountain because it can become clogged with dirt and debris much more quickly than any indoor fountain would.
It’s pretty easy for leaves and other material to be blown into your fountain, all of which can clog the water pump, and that will obstruct smooth water flow. Make sure someone is available regularly to shut the fountain off, pull the pump out of the water, and clean it up so that there are no obstructions. All other debris and obstruction should be removed from the fountain itself. With some regular attention to your fountain, it will continue to operate smoothly and provide many hours of enjoyment.