14 Popular Outdoor Lighting Ideas That Are Draining Your Energy Bill

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Outdoor lighting can change a space, giving it a magical feel at night, giving you security, or just highlighting your beautiful yard. That glow may be charming, but it can be quietly sending your energy bill through the roof. With outdoor lighting — more isn’t always better.

Some common outdoor lighting practices are not budget friendly, whether you’re using inefficient bulbs, too much spotlights, or leaving lights on 24/7. If you’re on the hunt for ways to reduce your energy bill without losing that night time ambience, it’s worth reconsidering a few popular choices. And here are 14 outdoor lighting ideas that may be draining your wallet … and what you can do about it.

Overusing Floodlights

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Floodlights can turn your yard into a football stadium, but they’re notorious energy guzzlers, too. Small lights draw far less power than a single floodlight. Instead of high wattage floodlights, strategically place LED lights that will give you the same sense of security and visibility, without the wasted energy.

Excessive String Lighting

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Charming and festive, string lights can be great, but leaving them on all night can get expensive. Older models of many string lights aren’t energy efficient. Use solar powered or LED string lights, and if they are on for hours, opt for them only when needed.

Constantly Lit Path Lights

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Path lights are handy for shining the way at night, but if they’re always on all night every night, they’ll kill your electric bill. Instead, motion sensors or timers can work better, with lights coming on only when they’re required, avoiding wasting power when no one’s around.

Halogen Bulbs

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Modern alternatives are much more efficient, but halogen bulbs are bright. Replacing halogen bulbs with LEDs can slash your energy use dramatically — and still give you plenty of light. On top of that, LEDs last much longer, so you’ll spend less on replacements.

Leaving Lights On Day Time

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It’s so easy to forget to turn off outdoor lights during the day. If you have a timer or sensor, you can make sure your lights are off when you don’t need them. If they’re lighting up the backyard under a bright sun, even the most efficient bulbs will waste energy.

Landscape Lighting Overload

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It’s tempting to shine a light on every single plant and feature in your yard, but too much landscape lighting can add up to a significant amount of energy use. Spotlight on a few key features by focusing on a few and using lower wattage bulbs or solar powered fixtures to cut back on your energy bill.

Bright Security Lights

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Security is important, but bright lights aren’t always necessary. They can often make glare and in some cases, actually make it harder to see. Instead, use motion sensor bulbs with lower wattage so they only come on when someone is near, with light only when you need it.

Porch Lights on All Night

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A porch light that’s been left on all night can be comforting, but it also sucks up energy. Instead of keeping it lit for hours, use motion activated lights. These are the security of a lit entrance without charging your electric bill.

Decorative Uplights

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Upliting can be dramatic, but uplighting trees or architectural elements too long only makes for wasted energy. Solar powered uplights are your best bet, or at least set them on a timer so they don’t wastefully run all day long when nobody is around to see the view.

Overlighting Your Backyard

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A brighter yard doesn’t necessarily mean a better lit yard. Glare and higher energy costs are results of overlighting. If you want to be able to enjoy an outdoor space that’s well lit, try to use fewer lights or dimmable fixtures.

Incandescent Bulbs

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If you’re still running incandescent bulbs in your outdoor fixtures, it’s time for an upgrade. LEDs use far less energy than these older bulbs, and they burn out faster. Replacing your incandescents with energy efficient LEDs can be a big energy saver.

Overusing Spotlights

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Spotlights are a popular choice for lighting up specific features in your yard, but too many can quickly add up on your energy bill. Use solar or LED spotlights instead of the high energy price tag, limit the number of spotlights, and get the effect you want.

Lighting Trees and Shrubs All Night Long

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Lighting up trees and shrubs can be a beautiful effect, but doing it all night, every night is a waste of energy. A timer or solar-powered lights will make sure your greenery only receives prime viewing hours.

Lights That Are Too Bright

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Sometimes, outdoor lights are too bright. Wasting energy and even creating light pollution, overly bright lighting also makes your outdoor space less enjoyable. Instead of hard cold lights, use soft warm light at a sufficient enough quantity without being overpowering.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

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