A Guide to Outdoor Lighting Maintenance

Outdoor illumination is an essential part of most commercial and residential lighting setups. Well-placed exterior lights can showcase your dramatic landscaping, welcome guests to a soiree or deter trespassers after hours. From backyard lighting for brilliant entertaining to energy-efficient lights for parking lots and walkways, your home or business is safer and more functional at night with excellent outdoor lighting.

But what about exterior lighting maintenance? Do you know how to clean outdoor light fixtures, inspect them for damage and recognize the difference between what can be DIY fixed and what should be left to professionals? And how can you prevent safety risks from things like fraying wires or water inside a fixture?

The lighting pros at TCP have your back on this one. We know that lighting maintenance is not the most fun or exciting part of owning a home or running a business. But it is one of those necessary chores that can save you lots of time and money in the long run – or become a huge headache if you ignore it.

We created this guide to help you get proactive about your outdoor lighting maintenance! We break down four of the most common issues for both residential and commercial outdoor lighting. Then we give you four tried-and-true outdoor lighting maintenance tips for staying ahead of potential problems and hazards.

Common Outdoor Lighting Issues

You may already be aware of the benefits of switching to LED lights, like lower utility bills, longer lifespans and way more choices for brightness and light color temperature. These money-saving benefits are even more important for exterior lighting, which is typically in use for 10 or more hours per day.

But even after making the switch to LED bulbs for light fixtures on your property’s exterior, problems can arise. Here are four of the most common lighting maintenance issues that crop up for outdoor light fixtures:

Lamp Burnout

TCP’s LED lamps are rated for super-long life spans – many for 5-plus years! – but all light bulbs burn out eventually. The occasional lamp burnout is perfectly normal. But if you’re noticing that your outdoor lights stop working frequently or burn out too quickly for the lifespan you had expected, causes may include:

• Power surges
• Loose sockets
• Faulty wiring (more on this in a sec)
• Wrong wattage for the fixture

If you need incandescent light bulb alternatives, try TCP’s Anew lamps! They have the same A19 shape and E26 base, so they’ll fit existing fixtures, and they’re suitable for totally enclosed outdoor fixtures, like porch lights.

For a fun change-up, consider our ColorFlip bulbs for light fixtures that are protected from the elements. You get two colors in one bulb – neutral white light for everyday illumination and a festive color with the flip of a switch! They’re the color bulbs for every season, holiday or special occasion decorating that requires zero cleanup.

Damage From Plants & Animals

We love Mother Nature as much as you do. But plants and animals can really mess with your outdoor commercial or residential lighting! Tree branches, vines, bushes and other vegetation can grow over light fixtures, which obstructs illumination and can create bothersome shadows. In extreme cases, vines creeping up the side of a building can cause mortar to crumble away from bricks or siding to loosen. This situation can make exterior lighting maintenance more difficult if it destabilizes fixtures attached to the building or causes wiring to come loose.

Squirrels are another hazard to your outdoor lighting’s wiring. These critters love to gnaw through wires, which can create a real danger for your family or workforce. Flying bugs like moths and mosquitos tend to swarm around outdoor lights at night – but low-heat LEDs with a red, yellow or orange color are less attractive to them, making ColorFlip multicolor LED bulbs an excellent choice for light fixtures on porches and covered walkways.

Wiring Problems

Faulty or frayed wiring is a big problem on any property. The wires and connectors for your outdoor lighting are the way electricity reaches your lights – and if they’re damaged, they can become a serious fire hazard. That’s why it’s so important to make regular inspections part of your exterior lighting maintenance routine.

It takes just a few minutes to look at the wiring for your architectural lighting, like wall packs and pathway lights, as well as any landscape lighting embedded in gardens or other areas. If you see any holes or tears in the protective covering – or worse, fraying of the actual wires themselves – it’s best to contact a professional electrician for assistance. 

Corrosion and Rust

Outdoor lighting fixtures are designed to withstand the elements in style. But rain, wind, snow and sun exposure will take a toll on even the sturdiest materials over time. Keeping an eye out for early signs of rust or corrosion is a smart way to avoid more extensive outdoor and landscape lighting maintenance problems, like water inside the fixtures. We recommend replacing fixtures as soon as they begin to decay so that your commercial or residential lighting remains reliable for the long haul. 

Lighting Maintenance Tips

Outdoor lighting maintenance doesn’t have to be a difficult or time-consuming chore. Once you understand how to read a light bulb box for outdoor (i.e., wet location) ratings and the appropriate wattage for your fixture, your exterior lighting maintenance routine can be quick and easy.

Follow these four tips for monthly lighting maintenance that ensures efficient, high-quality illumination that keeps your family, staff or customers safer and more comfortable:

1. Clean Fixtures Regularly

Dirty exterior light fixtures deliver dimmer illumination and higher risks of corrosion and other problems. To clean your outdoor lights, take these steps:

1. Turn off the power.
2. Wipe debris, dirt and grime from fixtures and lenses with a soft, dry cloth.
3. For heavy soiling, use a cloth or sponge dampened with water and a mild soap, like dish detergent.
4. Avoid harsh chemicals like ammonia, which can damage metal finishes.
5. Allow fixtures to dry completely after cleaning to prevent shock risk and water damage to sockets.
6. Turn power back on and test lights for functionality.

2. Trim Surrounding Vegetation

Keep tree branches, bushes and other vegetation around your outdoor lights well trimmed. It’s important for maintenance crews or family members to be aware of where landscape and hardscape lighting is located so they can avoid damaging fixtures or lenses while mowing and trimming. 

If you notice damage to wires or fixtures while tending to your plants, take care of them right away. 

3. Inspect Wires Periodically

To get the best performance and lifespan from your outdoor lighting, add wiring inspection to your landscape lighting maintenance plan. This should include every point of electrical contact, from the fuse box to the socket. Pinpointing weak connections, loose fixtures and frayed or worn wiring as early as possible will help avoid costly and potentially dangerous problems down the road.

4. Protect Lighting from Harsh Weather

This may seem counterintuitive – after all, outdoor lighting fixtures are designed to stand up to the elements; right? Yes, but extreme temperature fluctuations, high winds, salt water and other harsh weather conditions still take a toll. You can reduce the scope of exterior lighting maintenance by making every effort to protect your outdoor lighting. Steps you can take include:

1. Purchasing only high-quality outdoor lighting fixtures and bulbs rated for your climate
2. Installing exterior lights according to manufacturer instructions
3. Using surge protectors where appropriate to avoid overloading circuits
4. Adding weatherproof sealants or sprays around fixture bases as needed
5. Repositioning lights that have been moved or loosened by storms

Enhance Your Outdoor Space with TCP

Whether you’re a homeowner or a small business looking to save money on utilities, LED outdoor lighting from TCP makes excellent sense. And with just a little exterior lighting maintenance, you’ll enjoy elevated safety, security and enjoyment after dark for a long time. Need help choosing the right outdoor lighting for your commercial property, new construction or home? Contact the TCP pros today! We’ll help you pick the perfect lights for your project and ship them without delay.