Do Outdoor Lights Get Hot? (Ever wondered why they do?)

Do outdoor lights get hot, you ask? Well, certainly they get hotter than most people think. But the real question is, will a hot or warm LED light hurt your plants?

Outdoor lights get hot. It’s true. They’re usually placed outside of homes to illuminate pathways and driveways. This is because outdoor lights use electricity to create light.

This electricity causes the light bulb to heat up, which is the same reason a light gets warm to the touch when you hold it and may damage your plants if they are too close.

You now know whether they get hot and if so, then what the effects can be. With that being said, I want to discuss some other interesting facts about outdoor lights and also what you can do to make your outdoor lights last longer!

Can Too Much Heat Break Your Outdoor Lights?

Yes, this happens all the time with many types of bulbs including incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, compact fluorescents, etc. The problem occurs when there isn’t enough ventilation in an area where these lights are located. If not properly ventilated, the air inside the home becomes stagnant and humid. When this happens, moisture builds up on the surface of the lightbulb causing them to break down faster. Plus, the temperature rises as well making the bulb even more likely to burn out sooner.

How Can I Protect Plants From Too Much Heat From The Outdoor Lights?

The best way to protect your plants from getting burned by the outdoor lights is to keep them away from the lights themselves. You should never place any plant directly under an outdoor light fixture. Instead, put the plant at least a feet away from the light source.

Also, don’t leave water sitting near the lights for long periods of time either. Water evaporates quickly and leaves behind deposits which can cause problems like root rot.

What’s more, the high temperatures caused by the lights could dry out soil around the roots of your plants.

What are the Effects of Outdoor Lights Getting Hot?

When the lights become heated, their color changes slightly. For example, white LEDs change into yellowish-white colors while blue ones turn greenish. In addition, the brightness decreases significantly. However, none of these things pose much danger to your plants.

In fact, the only thing that might happen is that your plants won’t grow quite as fast as usual. That’s because the increased amount of sunlight hitting the ground during daytime hours makes plants photosynthesize less efficiently.

What Can I do to Make my Outdoor Lights Last Longer?

There are several ways to help prolong the life of your outdoor lighting fixtures:

1) Use High Quality Bulbs – There are two main reasons why using quality bulbs helps extend the lifespan of your outdoor lights. First off, lower wattage means lower energy consumption meaning fewer bills each month. Secondly, better quality bulbs have thicker glass envelopes which prevent overheating.

2) Keep Them Clean – Dirt buildup on the exterior of the light fixture reduces its efficiency. This causes it to heat up quicker than necessary. To avoid this issue, clean the outside of the fixture regularly. Also, use a soft brush or sponge instead of harsh cleaning products such as bleach.

3) Don’t Overload Lighting Fixtures – It may seem counterintuitive but overloading your outdoor lighting system actually shortens its lifespan. Why? Because excess electricity creates extra stress on the wiring leading to eventual failure. So, try keeping the number of lights used per square foot below 10.

4) Install Properly Sized Dimmers – Installing dimmers in your outdoor lighting systems will allow you to control how bright the lights get. By adjusting the level of illumination, you’ll be able to save money on power costs without sacrificing safety.