Key Findings
- If used predictably, porch lights can deter neighborhood burglars but also signal that a home is empty.
- Motion-activated lighting is generally more effective for security than porch lights left on.
- LED bulbs make all-night porch lighting affordable, costing only a few dollars per year.
- Smart lighting systems by far offer the best balance of home security lighting, convenience, and energy efficiency.
As a homeowner, you’ve probably wondered if keeping the porch lights on at night is a good idea for your home’s security or just something that wastes power. For the most part, it’s one of those old North American myths — that leaving on your porch lights will deter burglars. In reality, leaving porch lights on consumes significant energy and may compromise your home’s security. Thermo Direct has created this handy guide to shed some light on this nighttime dilemma.
Why Homeowners Leave Porch Lights On at Night
Many Americans leave their porch lights on at night as a deterrent for burglars. Criminals prefer to work in darkness, so if they see the lights on, it means someone is home, right?
Beyond home security, leaving porch lights on at night helps family members navigate the front of the house, reducing the risks of falls or slips on uneven pavement or walkways. Furthermore, they can be helpful if you are expecting a nighttime delivery.
Does Leaving Your Porch Light On Really Improve Home Security?
Leaving the lights on can serve as a signal to potential burglars that you’re not around. In reality, most burglars don’t look at a home’s lights a single time to decide if they’re going to break in. They search for patterns when scoping out a house. Outdoor lighting can also make a burglar more visible when attempting to break into a house.
Research consistently shows that comprehensive lighting strategies are more effective than relying on a single porch light for safety. Illuminating multiple sides of your home, particularly vulnerable entry points like side doors and basement windows, creates a more robust security perimeter than just lighting your front porch. Having more and different types of lighting is a good outdoor lighting tip.
When You Should Keep Your Porch Light On
There are several situations when leaving your porch light on makes actual sense. If you’re expecting visitors, deliveries, or service providers after dark, keeping the light on guarantees they can safely move to your door and confirm they’ve found the right address.
If you live in a neighborhood with limited street lighting, like an older one like Oakwood in Raleigh, NC, for example, your porch light serves as a lighting beacon that helps visitors locate your home.
When You Should NOT Leave Your Porch Light On
If you’re home and going to sleep with no expected visitors, leaving the light on all night provides minimal security and wastes energy.
Your presence in the home is actually the most effective deterrent for burglars, and since most residential burglaries happen during daylight hours rather than at night, leaving the porch lights on is quite wasteful.
Porch Lights vs. Motion Sensors: Which Is Better?
Motion-activated lights have several advantages over leaving your porch lights on or off at night. Motion sensor lighting provides the element of surprise by suddenly flooding an area with light when movement is detected. This unexpected light is far more startling to potential intruders than a light that’s already on.
Remember the pattern issue we previously discussed? Motion sensors eliminate this, as they have no set schedule and only turn on when someone is on the porch.
Finally, motion-activated lights only operate when triggered, and this dramatically reduces a homeowner’s electricity consumption compared to all-night operation. And with LED bulbs, the savings add up over time.
Energy Efficiency – Does Leaving Your Porch Light On All Night Use a Lot of Power?
The final piece of the puzzle is your electricity cost. In the Raleigh area, homeowners pay an average electricity rate of 10.43 cents per kilowatt-hour. This indicates that it will cost the average homeowner approximately $20.57 per year to keep their porch light on all night, every night. But the type of bulb also matters.
Traditional incandescent bulbs are inefficient. A 60-watt incandescent bulb running 12 hours per night consumes about 22 kilowatt-hours per month. At the national average electricity rate of around 16 cents per kWh, that’s roughly $3.50 per month or $42 per year for a single bulb.
A comparable LED bulb uses only 8–10 watts to produce the same amount of light. This means that running a 9-watt LED for 12 hours nightly consumes about 3.3 kilowatt-hours and costs $6 per year.
Going further, smart lighting systems, such as a smart porch light, allow you to schedule operating times, dim lights during hours when full brightness isn’t needed, and control everything from your smartphone. Some can even integrate with your home security system.
When To Hire an Electrician for Outdoor Lighting Upgrades
More advanced outdoor lighting upgrades, beyond replacing a few porch bulbs, often require professional expertise.
When upgrading to a security lighting system with multiple fixtures, motion sensors, timers, or smart home integration, professional installation guarantees everything works together reliably. Our Thermo Direct electricians will help you design a lighting plan that provides optimal coverage. Just check out our lighting service reviews.
Financing Options for Outdoor Lighting & Electrical Projects
A full outdoor security lighting package can be a costly endeavor for Raleigh residents. This is why Thermo Direct has partnered with companies such as Goodleap, Optimus, and Synchrony to offer comprehensive payment plans. You can often complete the work for your home’s outdoor security system and pay it off within a few years.
Service Area – Outdoor & Security Lighting Near You
For all outdoor lighting for safety and security lighting services, Thermo Direct operates in these areas:
Considering a Lighting Upgrade? Schedule with Thermo Direct
If you’re looking to upgrade your home’s outdoor security, switching to motion-activated lighting or smart bulbs may be a good investment to enhance security and energy efficiency. Since 2000, Thermo Direct has proudly served the residents and businesses of Raleigh and the surrounding area. We offer comprehensive electrical services, ranging from electrical repairs to security installations. Call us today to find the proper outdoor lighting setup and keep your home safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which porch light color is best for security and to avoid attracting bugs?
For security purposes, bright white LED lights provide the best visibility. However, if bugs are a concern, warm white or yellow LED bulbs are less attractive to insects because they emit less ultraviolet light and produce less heat than traditional bulbs.
What are smart porch light timers, and how do they work?
Smart porch light timers allow you to control your outdoor lighting through a smartphone app or voice commands through devices like Alexa or Google Home. These devices can be programmed to turn on at sunset and off at sunrise, creating varying schedules throughout the week to avoid predictable patterns.
Should I use a timer or a photocell sensor for my porch light?
Photocell sensors, also called dusk-to-dawn sensors, automatically turn lights on at dusk and off at sunrise, requiring no programming. Timers give you greater control over exact on/off times and allow you to create varied schedules.
Does a porch light attract insects at night?
Yes. Porch lights at night attract large numbers of moths and other nocturnal insects.
Do smart porch light timers require a neutral wire?
Many modern smart timers and programmable switches require a neutral wire to function correctly. If your electrical box has only black wiring and a ground, you’ll need to either run new wiring or select a timer model designed to operate without a neutral wire.
