How to Check and Replace Exterior Lights
Walk the perimeter of your home at dusk and turn on every exterior light. Replace any dead bulbs, clean dirty fixture lenses with a damp cloth, and confirm motion sensors trigger correctly. This takes about 15 minutes and keeps your home safe and visible.
- Time
- 15 min
- Frequency
- monthly
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cost
- Free
What you'll need
- Replacement bulbs
- Step stool
- Damp cloth
The steps
- 1
Walk the perimeter at dusk
Wait until it is getting dark but not fully night. This lets you see which fixtures are working and which are not without needing a flashlight. Start at your front door and work your way around the entire house.
- 2
Test each fixture
Turn on every exterior light manually from its switch. For motion-sensor lights, walk through the detection zone and confirm the light activates. For lights on timers or photocells, verify they come on automatically as daylight fades. Note any fixture that stays dark.
- 3
Check bulbs and replace dead ones
For any fixture that did not turn on, turn off the switch and let the bulb cool. Remove the bulb and inspect it. Replace dead bulbs with the correct wattage and type. LED bulbs are the best choice for outdoor fixtures because they last longer and use less energy than halogen or incandescent.
- 4
Clean fixture lenses
Wipe down each fixture lens or cover with a damp cloth. Dirt, cobwebs, and insect debris build up on outdoor fixtures and reduce light output significantly. Dry the lens after wiping. Do not use harsh chemicals on plastic lenses.
- 5
Check motion sensor alignment
Stand where you want the motion sensor to detect movement, typically at the edge of a walkway or driveway. Walk toward the fixture and confirm it triggers. If the sensor is aimed too high or too low, adjust the angle on the sensor head. Most motion sensors have a small adjustment dial for sensitivity and duration as well.
- 6
Note any wiring issues for an electrician
If a fixture has a good bulb but still does not work, the problem is likely the fixture itself, the wiring, or the switch. Check whether the switch has power by testing another fixture on the same switch. If the fixture has power at the switch but still does not light, the fixture or its wiring needs professional attention. Do not attempt to open junction boxes or splice wires yourself.
Why exterior lighting matters
Exterior lights serve three purposes: security, safety, and visibility. A well-lit home is a less attractive target for break-ins. Dark front steps, walkways, and driveways cause falls. And burned-out porch lights make your home look neglected.
The problem is that outdoor bulbs fail silently. You leave for work in daylight and come home after dark without noticing that the side-yard flood light has been dead for two weeks. Monthly checks catch these gaps before they become a security or safety issue.
Most exterior lighting problems are simple. A dead bulb, a dirty lens, or a motion sensor aimed at a tree branch instead of the walkway. Fifteen minutes once a month keeps everything working.
LED upgrades pay for themselves
If your outdoor fixtures still use halogen or incandescent bulbs, switching to LED is one of the easiest upgrades you can make. A halogen flood light uses 150 watts and lasts about 2,000 hours. An LED replacement uses 15-20 watts, produces the same brightness, and lasts 25,000 hours.
For a fixture that runs 8 hours a night, a halogen bulb lasts roughly 8 months. An LED lasts over 8 years. The LED bulb costs slightly more upfront but eliminates years of bulb replacements and cuts the electricity cost for that fixture by 85%.
When buying LED replacements, match the lumen output rather than the wattage. A 1,500-lumen LED replaces a 100-watt halogen flood. Check the color temperature too. Most outdoor fixtures look best at 3000K (warm white) or 5000K (daylight) depending on preference. Avoid anything above 5000K unless you want a harsh, blue-tinted light.
Getting the most from motion sensors
Motion sensor lights are effective for driveways, side yards, and back entrances. But they only work if they are aimed and calibrated correctly.
Aim the sensor at the approach path, not the fixture's target area. The sensor should trigger when someone enters the zone, not when they are already standing under the light. Point it toward where a person would walk from, not where they would end up.
Reduce the sensitivity if the light triggers on animals or wind-blown branches. Most sensors have a sensitivity dial. Turn it down one notch at a time until nuisance triggers stop but a walking person still activates the light.
Set the duration to 1-5 minutes. Longer durations waste energy and can annoy neighbors. Shorter durations mean the light goes off while you are still in the area. One to five minutes handles most use cases.
Test after adjusting. Walk the full approach path and verify the light turns on at the right distance. Have someone watch from inside to confirm the sensor is not triggering on passing cars or the neighbor's yard.
When to call an electrician
Handle bulb replacements, lens cleaning, and sensor adjustments yourself. Call an electrician for these situations:
- A fixture has power at the switch but does not work with a known-good bulb. The fixture wiring or internal components have failed.
- You see scorch marks, melted plastic, or a burning smell at any fixture. This indicates a wiring fault that is a fire risk.
- An outdoor outlet or fixture repeatedly trips a GFCI or breaker. There is a ground fault somewhere in the circuit, likely from water intrusion.
- You want to add a new fixture or move an existing one. Outdoor wiring must be in weatherproof conduit and connected to a GFCI-protected circuit per code. This is not a DIY job for most homeowners.
Wiring issues do not get better on their own. A fixture that flickers, buzzes, or works intermittently has a connection problem that will eventually fail completely or create a fire hazard. Get it looked at sooner rather than later.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I use LED or halogen bulbs for outdoor lights?
- LED is the better choice in almost every case. LED bulbs last 15 to 25 times longer than halogen, use 75-80% less energy, and produce less heat. They also reach full brightness instantly in cold weather, unlike CFLs. The only reason to stick with halogen is if you have a dimmer that is not LED-compatible, and even then, replacing the dimmer is usually cheaper than years of halogen bulbs.
- How do I reset a motion sensor light that is stuck on or off?
- Turn the light switch off and wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on. This power-cycles the sensor and clears most stuck states. If the light stays on permanently, the sensor may be in manual-on mode. Flip the switch off, wait 3 seconds, flip it on, wait 3 seconds, flip it off, then on again. This toggle sequence resets most motion sensors to automatic mode. Check the manufacturer instructions if that does not work.
- What if a fixture has power but the light still does not come on?
- The fixture itself is likely the problem. Start by trying a known-good bulb. If that does not fix it, check the socket for corrosion. A corroded socket can be cleaned with fine sandpaper and the power off. If the socket looks fine and a good bulb still does not work, the fixture's internal wiring or the photocell has failed. Replace the fixture or call an electrician.
- How often should I check exterior lights?
- Once a month. A monthly check catches dead bulbs before they leave dark spots around your home for weeks. It also catches motion sensor drift, dirty lenses, and fixture damage from weather early. The whole process takes about 15 minutes.
Products you'll need
This section contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
LED Outdoor Flood Light Bulbs (4-pack)
Energy-efficient replacement bulbs for outdoor fixtures
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