As autumn and winter approach, you’re probably preparing your home for cooler weather. While you’re busy cleaning the gutters, raking leaves, and scheduling a maintenance check on your furnace, don’t forget about your outdoor lighting system. You want to make sure everything is in good working order so you can take advantage of long fall evenings on the patio or by the firepit. 

The following are some things to consider to keep your outdoor lighting system running safely at peak efficiency throughout the cooler months.

Inspect for Damage

Work your way around your home, checking each individual light fixture, including connections and wiring, for signs of damage from weather or animal activity or simple wear and tear from exposure to the elements. Specifically, make note of any corrosion, cracked lenses, or frayed wires. Make repairs or replace fixtures and wiring as needed.

Clean Fixtures

Using a soft cloth and mild soap, clean all glass lenses and lighting fixtures. Removing dirt and debris will ensure that the lights shine brightly where you need them without leaving dark spots and tripping hazards around your home. 

Check Bulbs for Fall Outdoor Maintenance

Of course, you’ll want to replace any burned-out or broken bulbs. If you have not yet made the switch to LED bulbs, consider making the investment. Not only are they more energy-efficient, durable, and longer-lasting than traditional bulbs, but they also work well even in extremely cold weather.

Trim Overgrowth

If you notice any areas where your landscaping or trees are obstructing or interfering with your light fixtures or creating dark or shadowed areas, trim back the overgrowth and clean up the landscaping.

Reposition Fixtures

It’s important to walk your property at night, so that you can adjust and reposition any fixtures that might have moved and might not be casting light where they’re supposed to be. You might also need to check any solar or stake lights to make sure they’re firmly embedded in the ground and won’t fall over in a storm.

Weatherproof Your Lights

Use weatherproof connectors and junction boxes and add electrical tape as needed to protect all connections and any exposed wiring. Where appropriate, you can also add weatherproof covers to your fixtures to better protect them from the elements like rain, wind, and snow. Make sure all the seals on your light fixtures are watertight, adding silicone gel if necessary to help keep moisture out.

Consider Professional Fall Outdoor Maintenance

If it sounds too time-consuming and daunting to tackle checking every light individually and repairing or replacing broken fixtures, lenses, and bulbs, hire lighting professionals to do the hard work for you. Houston Lightscapes offers an outdoor lighting maintenance and repair program that covers everything you will need to keep your outdoor lighting system running great all year round. The program includes services such as checking the voltage of each individual light, cleaning up overgrowth that is interfering with lighting, changing out all bulbs, re-burying exposed wires, replacing all sockets, cleaning lenses, and more. 

Schedule a Free Consultation Today!

Call (713) 461-3600 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with the team at Houston Lightscapes. We can take care of all your maintenance and repair needs, leaving you free to enjoy the cooler weather without all the stress.