Lighting costs can be significantly high if you do not control light consumption in your home.
For most homeowners, the best way to keep lighting costs low is by controlling the time at which different bulbs in your home run.
For some reason, you may want to keep your porch light on throughout the night, but be sure to pay a little more extra.
So, How Much Does It Cost To Keep The Porch Light On All Night?
For instance, if you use a single LED bulb of about 10 watts set to run for 12 hours, you will have consumed 120 or 12 kilowatts. Generally, the electricity bills in the US run from as low as 10 cents per kilowatt to a maximum of 30 cents per kilowatt. This means you will have to add $0.36 at the lowest to $1.08 at the highest cost per month if you leave a porch LED light on all night. The prices will keep on carrying depending on the wattage of your bulb and the cost per watt.
Of significance, electricity cost will vary slightly depending on the wattage of your bulb and the fluctuation in general prices. So, you have to be ready to pay a little bit more for lighting if you leave the porch light on.
This post will cover more on the importance of leaving porch lights on at night, when to leave porch lights on and when not.
Four Benefits Of Leaving Porch Lights On All Night
Even though it is a little more expensive, leaving porch lights on all night has some significant benefits.
These benefits are much more valuable than the amount you will use to pay for the extra lighting hours.
1. Creates A Beautiful Night Scene
When you turn on the porch lights at night, they make it beautiful and scenic.
If you have a few plants on your porch, the light bounces back, creating a visually appealing scene that welcomes visitors home in the late hours.
Depending on the color of your light, the brightness can perfectly blend with your home aesthetics.
2. Generates A sense Of Safety
A lit porch at night clearly shows that people living in that home have a conscious sense of safety.
Therefore, if you invite visitors to spend a night, they will feel secure. You can even spend some night hours on the porch sharing different life experiences.
3. Lowers Burglaries
A well-lit porch can be an indicator that there is someone home who has switched on the light. It is very rare for burglars to enter a house when they feel someone’s presence.
Police and other security personnel advise that leaving outdoor lights on overnight and turning them off during the day helps scare away potential thieves and burglars.
4. Enhance The Appearance Of The Neighborhood
When every homeowner in your neighborhood leaves porch lights on at night, the entire area will be covered with ambient light.
The beautiful scenes at every home make the entire neighborhood appear classic and welcoming.
Four Reasons To Leave The Porch Lights On
While it is a good idea to leave porch lights on at night, it is not final that the lights should be on every night.
There are circumstances when lighting a porch may seem necessary, while others should be put off at night. Here are a few situations that can make lighting a porch at night of great significance.
1. When You Are At Home
When you are at home, it is good for your neighbors and passersby to know.
Leaving a porch light on during this time indicates that you are present.
The porch light can scare away burglars who are not ready to deal with you while trying to break in.
If you combine the light of a porch and indoor lights, anyone passing by will be convinced that you are present.
To add on, a porch light serves as a spotlight for the front door, enabling you to see who is approaching your house through a peephole or window while inside.
2. For Late Night Visitors
It makes perfect sense to leave the porch light on when you expect a visitor who may arrive late at night.
Whether it is a friend, a relative, or a spouse, you need to identify them before you open the door.
The porch light also helps those coming home to see the door and unlock it safely in case you fail to hear them.
3. When The Kids Are Home Alone
Adequate light generates a sense of security for kids. If you are leaving your underage children home alone, it’s wise to leave the porch lights on.
They will not have to jump at strange shadows. You should also supplement the outdoor light with indoor ones o that an outsider can assume that several people are at home.
4. When Expecting A Delivery
You should turn on the porch lights if you are expecting to receive a package and the delivery person might arrive late.
The porch light helps the delivery person easily identify your house. The lights also enable you to see the package before going to bed.
For better results, combine a porch light with the deck, indoor, and garage lights. When all the lights are coordinated, they create an appearance that people are moving around in the home.
Four Reasons To Leave The Porch Lights Off
With all the benefits that come with leaving the porch light on at night, there are times when it is a bad idea to leave those lights on.
Here are a few circumstances when you should not leave porch lights on.
1. When On Vacation
If you are going on a trip out of town, you should ensure your porch is turned off. Or you can attach a timer so that it goes on at night and off in the morning.
If you can’t afford to install the timer, you can ask your trusted neighbor to switch the light on and off when necessary.
A continuously lit porch indicates that no one is around to turn it off and can make your home vulnerable to thieves and burglars.
2. Before Going To Bed
In most homes, when it’s time to sleep, all lights are switched off. If you also practice this, ensure you do not exclude your porch.
For instance, if someone was eyeing your house a few hours before you go to sleep, then you turn the lights off, whoever was planning to break into your home will be scared by your presence.
If you love it having your porch lit, you can install lights with infrared sensors that turn on the bulb when they sense motion.
3. When Home Alone
When you feel anxious about being at home alone, it may sound safe if you turn off the porch lights.
Typically, burglars stake a home before they attack.
They notice different lighting patterns when you have a partner around. It is important to maintain a lighting pattern whether you have company or alone.
4. If You Live In A Rural Area
It is more secure to turn off porch lights in rural areas.
This will make it hard for Intruders to identify where your door is located and can stubble while trying to find it.
In the process of stubbles and falls, you can easily wake up and scare them away.
Conclusion
Having porch lights on all night has a number of benefits. However, it is not always advisable for homeowners to leave the porch lights on.
Considering that it comes with an extra cost, check out this post on when to leave the lights on and when to turn them off.
Sources
https://www.safewise.com/blog/a-guide-to-porch-light-safety-leave-it-on-or-turn-it-off/
