Yard lighting is perhaps more important in fall and winter than any other time of the year. With nights growing longer, solid outdoor lighting is a must to protect your home security, help you and your pets navigate outdoor spaces safely, and make your yard a little more welcoming when the leaves start to drop.
However, intense weather in rainy season can make lighting a yard for winter quite the challenge. While most outdoor lighting can get wet, prolonged periods of rain can wear down your lighting, resulting in bulbs giving out sooner and dark spots across your yards.
Luckily, landscapers and contractors have discovered some smart solutions to protect outdoor lighting in the rainy season so you can continue to illuminate your yard without the risk of summer replacements.
How to protect outdoor lighting in the rainy season
Of course, investing in the best quality outdoor lighting ideas you can afford will play a big part in ensuring your lighting survives heavy rain, with more robust models lasting longer than budget buys, there are several other steps that will prolong their lifespan.
Here’s how the experts keep outdoor lighting in top condition no matter the weather.
1. Use weather-resistant fixtures
The best way to ensure your outdoor lighting survives the rain is to pick highly rated weather-resistant fixtures when installing backyard lighting, begins Joe Gerrior, landscaping expert and founder of Gerrior Masonry & Landscape.
‘When planning outdoor lighting, it’s best to overbuild and overprotect,’ he says. ‘Durable, weather-resistant materials may cost a bit more upfront but save money and frustration down the road. We use weather-resistant fixtures like aluminum wall sconces and brass pendant lights that hold up well in rain and snow.’
2. Use weather shields
When installing patio lighting or front porch lighting ideas, you can sometimes get away with less durable lighting fixtures so long as they are covered and protected from the elements.
Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love, says, ‘For the lighting items you can’t remove, try covering them as best as possible so they aren’t directly exposed to rain.'
This could include placing lighting under existing structures such as covered porches, or purchasing wall-mountable rain covers, available at Amazon, to shelter your mounted fixtures,
3. Keep lights away from standing water
Even the best outdoor lighting can fall victim to standing water. Most water-resistant lighting fixtures are designed to stand up to falling swathes of rain, not sitting in a puddle. To prevent your lighting from stewing, Joe Gerrior, landscaping expert, suggests mounting lighting to a raised post.
‘We also lift most fixtures at least 12 inches off the ground. Post lights and pathway lighting prevent water from pooling at the base, which leads to corrosion over time. Fixtures lifted above ground level in low-lying areas and sealed at attachment points to structures have the best chance of surviving harsh, wet seasons.’
You can also consider getting more whimsical with your outdoor lighting and trying outdoor string lighting ideas, suspending them from fences to avoid the risk of water pooling altogether.
4. Add weather-proof sealant
The risks of water for outdoor lighting come from water seeping into the electrics of the fixture, usually from the back or base. Joshy Payne, landscaper and owner of Classic Landscapes, explains that sealing these areas off will ensure your lighting lasts no matter the weather.
‘Seal all connections with plumber's putty or silicone caulk. The sealant protects wiring and the junction where the fixture meets the mounting surface. Properly done, this technique prevents damage for up to 10 years,’ he assures.
Available in black, white, and clear, this heavy-duty waterproof sealant is perfect for outdoor use to prevent water leaking into lighting fixtures and can be used on many different surface types and its marine formulation means it can be used above and below the waterline effectively.
5. Use the right wiring
When hard-wiring lights outside, it is important to use the right type of wiring to ensure it stands up to heavy rain and mitigates any fire risk. Joe Gerrior, landscaping expert, says, ‘For hardwiring, we use waterproof wire connectors and rout wiring to minimize exposure. Properly installed and maintained, these fixtures provide ambient lighting for five to 10 years.’
If you are not sure how to hard-wire lighting safely in your yard, it is always worth consulting an expert who can fit your lighting for you and ensure it lasts throughout all the seasons. Alternatively, fall back on buying good solar lights which can always be removed and brought inside during the worst weather and darker months.
Naturally, if you are seriously concerned about protecting outdoor lighting in the rainy season, it is always worth bringing them indoors. Jeremy Yamaguchi, of Lawn Love, says, ‘simply remove whatever lighting structures you can and store them somewhere indoors. If you are having a really rainy season, chances are you aren’t going to be using those string lights for outdoor gatherings very often, so you might as well just take them down and store them where they won’t get damaged.'
