Fall Lighting Maintenance Tips for Loudoun & Fairfax County Homes
As days get shorter and temperatures dip across Loudoun and Fairfax Counties, a little preventive care will keep your outdoor lighting looking sharp and working reliably all season.
At Loudoun Lighting, we help homeowners protect their investment so their properties stay welcoming, secure, and beautiful through fall and winter. Use this quick tune-up checklist to get ahead of the season.
1. Walk the Property: Inspect & Note Repairs
Take a slow daytime “walk-about” and look closely at each fixture, junction, and the transformer.
What to look for:
Cosmetic wear: scratches, dents, cracked or hazed lenses (often from hard water or irrigation).
Leaning or shifted fixtures from foot traffic, pets, or mowers.
Moisture inside lenses or housings.
Loose set screws or stakes that have lifted.
Homeowner tips:
Straighten and re-stake any leaning fixtures so beams land where they should.
Confirm transformer mounting screws are snug and that all secondary taps and commons are firmly seated.
Replace backup batteries in astronomical timers so programmed schedules aren’t lost in a power blip.
2. Clean Fixtures the Right Way
A light cleaning restores output and extends the life of finishes and optics.
Safe cleaning steps:
Power off first.
Gently brush away mulch, soil, and cobwebs.
Wash housings and caps with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth; avoid abrasives and pressure washers.
Rinse and pat dry.
For cast brass housings, a light wipe with WD-40 or mineral oil can refresh luster. Avoid getting oils on lenses or gaskets.
Lens clarity matters: Cloudy lenses scatter light and reduce punch—clean or replace if etched or crazed.
3. Tidy the Landscape Around the Light
Fall brings leaves and debris that block beams and trap moisture.
Action steps
Prune back shrubs/branches shading fixtures or blocking paths.
Clear leaves from around path and well lights.
Pull mulch back from ground-mounted fixtures; maintain some breathing room for heat dissipation and service access.
4. Give the Wiring a Quick Check
Low-voltage systems are safe by design, but exposed or chewed insulation still needs attention.
Do this:
Scan visible runs for nicks, chews, or cuts (pets, trimmers, and garden stakes are usual suspects).
Re-bury any cable that’s surfaced.
If you see frayed or exposed conductors, pause use and call a pro—proper splicing and sealing prevent corrosion and intermittent faults.
5. Verify Lamps & LED Modules
LEDs are long-lasting, but lumen output can degrade over time, and occasional failures do happen.
Check
Replace any dim, flickering, or burned out fixtures.
Confirm color temperature (e.g., 2700K vs. 3000K) matches your original design so the scene stays consistent.
If you’re unsure whether an LED module or driver has failed, we can bench-test for you.
6. Refresh Aiming & Placement for the Season
Foliage changes; so should your lighting angles.
Re-aim to highlight
Branch architecture and trunks for dramatic, leaf-off silhouettes.
Steps, walkways, and drive edges for earlier nightfall.
Pro note: Make adjustments with fixtures cool to the touch, and re-tighten knuckles and set screws after aiming.
7. Update Timers & Smart Controls
Sunset moves quickly this time of year.
Do this
If you use astronomical timers, confirm location, DST, and battery so they track sunset accurately.
If you use simple timers, shift on/off times to cover earlier evenings.
For app-based/smart systems, review scenes, schedules, and any firmware updates.
8. Consider Strategic Fall Upgrades
Autumn is an ideal time to refine your system before winter weather sets in.
Ideas we love
Replace dated or failing fixtures with current designs that better control glare and spill.
Add subtle deck, step, or bistro accents to extend patio season.
For cast bronze you’d prefer to keep bright, apply a clear protective coating ahead of winter.*
*Patina is natural on brass/bronze. If you prefer to preserve the “just-installed” look, ask us about the right clear coat for your finish.
When to Call Loudoun Lighting
Some items are faster—and safer—when handled by a specialist. Reach out if you notice:
Exposed, damaged, or repeatedly nicked wiring.
Moisture inside fixtures, tripped GFCIs, or “mystery” outages.
Timers, transformers, photocells, or motion sensors that won’t behave.
Fixtures that won’t stay upright or have structural damage.
You’re planning a fall refresh, holiday pathway lighting, or a security-minded redesign.
Our Fall Tune-Up Service includes a full system check: voltage readings and balancing, connection integrity, fixture cleaning, re-aiming, programming, and documented recommendations so you know exactly what’s needed now vs. later.
Keep Your Property Safe, Inviting, and Camera-Ready
A short checklist now prevents mid-winter headaches and keeps your home looking intentional after dark. If you’d like us to handle the details (or level-up your design for the season), we’re ready!
Schedule your Fall Lighting Tune-Up or Design Consultation
Loudoun Lighting | Serving Loudoun & Fairfax Counties
Call, text, or book online—let’s make your evenings shine.
