Your questions answered

Answers about permanent outdoor lighting, installation, and what to expect from Manta Permanent Lighting in Illinois.

Still have questions?

The truth is simple. Good light lasts. Here is what you need to know before you decide.

Warranty, Trust, & Company Longevity
What warranty comes with the system?

Every install is backed by a 1-year installation warranty covering parts and labor, followed by a 5-year system warranty covering parts. It's built to back a system designed to last 20+ years.

Are your installers certified?

Yes. Every installer is trained in-house through our own certification program before they're ever on a job site.

What's covered under the warranty — parts, labor, or both?

Year one covers both parts and labor. Years two through five cover parts.

Who do I call if something breaks after the warranty period ends?

Just give us a call. We own our building and employ our own crews here in Central Illinois, so we're not going anywhere, warranty or not.

Do I need to register my warranty, or is it automatic?

It's automatic. Your warranty starts the moment your system is installed.

Is the warranty transferable if I sell my home?

Yes. Just let us know within 60 days of the sale and we'll switch the account and warranty over to the new homeowner.

What documentation do I need if I file a warranty claim?

None on your end. We attach a warranty file to your job automatically at the time of installation, so when you call, we already have what we need.

Cost & Value
Is permanent lighting worth the upfront cost compared to traditional or seasonal lights?

Most homeowners find it pays for itself well within a few years of holiday use alone, and that's before counting everything else the system does the rest of the year. One install replaces buying, hanging, and taking down lights every single season.

How long does it take for permanent lighting to pay for itself?

On Christmas use alone, most homeowners see it pay for itself within 3 to 6 years, and the system is built to last 20+ years. Add in year-round use for game days, holidays, and everyday accent lighting, and the value only grows from there.

Is financing available?

Yes, we offer flexible financing and you can apply in minutes.

Does permanent lighting increase my electric bill?

The system runs on efficient LED lighting, so most owners don't see a meaningful jump in their bill even with regular use.

Why don't companies show pricing on their website?

It's different for everyone. Pricing starts at $1,750, but where you land depends entirely on your project. A full house is priced differently than accent lighting, a backyard, porch lighting, or the front of the home only. We'll always give you a real number specific to your home in a free demo.

Does permanent lighting increase home resale value?

It's a fully customizable, permanent lighting system, and upgrades like this are the kind of thing many buyers notice and appreciate.

How much does permanent outdoor lighting cost?

Pricing starts at $1,750. Every home is different, and not every project is a full house. Some homeowners choose accent lighting, a backyard, the front only, or porch lighting, so your final quote depends on the size and scope of what you want lit. The best way to get an accurate number is a free demo.

Does the quote include everything (controller, power supply), or are there extra line items?

Our quote includes everything: materials, hardware, and installation.

Product / App / Smart Controls
How do you control the lights — is there an app?

Yes. Every system comes with a companion app that connects to your home's Wi-Fi through the controller box.

Can I control the lights when I'm away from home?

Yes. Once your system is connected, you can control it from anywhere, not just when you're on your home network.

Can I schedule the lights to turn on automatically at sunset?

Yes. Enter your home's location once and the system will turn on at sunset automatically, adjusting for the seasons without you having to touch it again.

How many colors and patterns can I create?

There are over 1,000 built-in presets to start from, plus millions of color and pattern combinations if you want to build something fully custom.

Can individual lights be controlled separately, or only a full strand?

Each individual light can be set to its own color or included in a custom pattern. You're never limited to one setting for the whole house.

Is the app easy for non-tech savvy homeowners to use?

Yes. We walk you through it during installation, and most homeowners are comfortable using it within minutes.

What's the difference between RGB and RGBW (true white) lighting?

RGBW adds a dedicated white channel on top of red, green, and blue, which gives you a much more natural range of white and shade tones for everyday accent lighting than a standard RGB system can produce.

Does the system work with Alexa, Google Home, or other smart-home systems?

Yes, it integrates with all the major smart-home systems.

Can I set different brightness levels for different times or occasions?

Yes. Brightness is adjustable independent of color, so you can dial in exactly how bright or subtle you want any scene to be.

If one light stops working, do the others go out too?

No. Each light is individually connected, so if one goes out, we replace that one and you're back up and running.

Durability & MAintenance
How long do the lights actually last?

The system is built to last 20+ years, with individual LED pucks rated for 50,000+ hours of use.

Will the system hold up in freezing temps, snow, ice, or high wind?

Yes. The system is UL listed and rated to hold up in the elements.

What happens if a single light stops working — can it be replaced individually?

Yes. Individual lights can be replaced on their own without touching the rest of the system.

Is regular maintenance requires, or is it maintenance-free?

Zero regular maintenance is required. We handle anything that comes up on an as-needed basis.

Are the tracks weatherproof and resistant to fading?

Yes. The tracks are aluminum, built to live outside, and shield the lights and wiring running inside them.

Do the lights get hot to the touch, or are they safe around kids and pets?

They don't get hot. The system runs on low-voltage LEDs, so it's safe around kids and pets.

Installation
Are the lights visible on the house during the day?

Not really. Every home is individually color-matched before installation, so the track blends into your soffit and fascia instead of standing out. We go to great lengths to hide the wiring too, so the system complements your home during the day instead of taking away from it.

How are the lights attached — does it require drilling into my roof?

The tracks are screwed directly into the soffit, not glued on and not attached to the roof itself.

Does installation affect my roof warranty?

No. In most cases we don't touch the roof at all during installation, and even in the rare case we do, it won't affect your roof warranty.

Will the track match my home's soffit or gutter color?

Yes. Your home is color-matched before we install, so the tracks blend in with your existing soffit.

What's the process like, start to finish, once I book?

Jobs are typically scheduled 1 to 3 weeks out. You'll get a weekly update leading up to install week, then near-daily updates once we're on-site. After installation, we walk you through the app before we leave.

Do I need to be home during installation?

You just need to be around at some point during the install so we can walk you through the app before we leave.

Can the system be installed on multi-story homes or complex rooflines?

Yes. We take on complex rooflines and multi-story homes regularly and get creative with how we route the system.

Can I add to my system later (light more of the house after starting small)?

Yes. If you know ahead of time, we can run extra wire during the original install to make adding on easier later. It's still possible without that, it just may come with some added cost.

How long does installation take?

On average, most installs take about 1 to 3 days, depending on the size of your home and the scope of the project.

Comparisons
Permanent lighting vs traditional Christmas lights — which is better long-term?

One install replaces buying, hanging, and taking down lights every year. The system pays for itself within a few years of holiday use alone and keeps going for 20+ years after that.

Permanent lighting vs DIY kits (Govee, etc.) — what's the difference?

It's a step up in almost every way. More lights, brighter output, and far more customization than a home kit offers. The tracks are also color-matched to your soffit so they disappear into your home during the day, with no visible wires. And once it's installed, upkeep is on us, not you. It's a system built to work for the next 20+ years instead of something you're replacing every couple of seasons.

Is permanent lighting the same as consumer smart-home lighting?

No. This system isn't sold direct to consumers. You have to be a certified dealer to access it, which is part of why it holds up differently than what you'd find off the shelf.

Can I use it for everyday accent lighting, or is it only for holidays?

It's one system for every occasion. Holidays, game days, security, and everyday accent lighting are all built in, not separate add-ons.

What makes the Manta system stand out from other lighting options?

The app simple to use, even if you're not the tech-savvy type. The lighting itself is RGBW, not just RGB, which gives you a true white in addition to full color, so it can look like clean, classic architectural lighting or bold and vibrant, whatever you're going for. And because every puck is individually addressable, you get that same range in one system, from understated to fully custom, instead of being locked into one look.

Why choose Manta over another lighting company?

A warranty only means something if the company behind it is still around to honor it. We own our building, employ our own installers, and we're in this for the long haul. We've already fielded calls from homeowners whose previous lighting company went out of business and couldn't be reached, and we've stepped in to help where we could. That's the kind of company we plan to be for you too.

Commercial
Can permanent lighting be used for commercial properties?

Yes, and in many cases it works even better for a business than a home. Lighting draws attention and gets people in the door. We've put the system on our own building and picked up multiple jobs directly because of it, so we've seen the benefits firsthand.

Can lighting be customized for business branding?

Yes. The same system can be set up to reflect your brand's colors and image, day or night.

Is commercial lighting just for the holidays, or does it work year-round for a business?

It works year-round. The same one-system, every-occasion approach that applies to homes applies to businesses too.

HOA & Property
Will my HOA allow permanent, color-changing lighting?

This varies by community and HOA, so it's worth checking your specific bylaws before installation. We're happy to answer any technical questions your HOA might have about the system.

Does permanent lighting count as a holiday decoration or a permanent change under HOA rules?

This depends on how your specific HOA classifies exterior lighting, so we'd recommend checking with them directly.

Post-Purchase / Life Events
What if I move — can I bring the lights with me?

The system stays with the house, it's a permanent, soffit-mounted install. If you sell your home, your warranty transfers to the new owner as long as we're notified within 60 days.