If you love to sit on a deck or perhaps just relax in a lawn chair and gaze at your garden at night, saving money with solar garden lights could boost your pleasure. There are plenty of new solar lighting options on the market. So why add to your electricity bills every month?
I don’t know anyone eager to spend more money than necessary on outdoor lights. If you’re wondering if the lights will be too dim in comparison to electric garden lights, newer solar lights are brighter than ever.
What are the main cost cutting advantages of solar garden lights? Here’s a quick rundown:
Solar-Powered Outdoor Lights Cut Costs Because They Don’t Use Electricity
If you live in an area of the country with seasonal temperature changes, including winter snow and ice, you may find that your summer electricity bills go up when you start using outdoor garden lighting. This could be a sign that you could save money with solar lights.
In fact, you could probably do a quick comparison of your summer electricity bills and get a rough idea of how much more you spend when gardening season comes around. Yes, you have to factor in air conditioning. Even so, according to the U.S. Department of Energy page on saving energy, lighting accounts for about 10 percent of the average electricity bill.
To figure out how much outdoor garden lights are adding to that bill, simply compute how much more than that 10 percent you spend in the summer. That will give you a rough guide of your outdoor lighting costs.
Bottom line: solar garden lights save money because they cut electricity bills
Solar lights don’t use any electricity. Yes, there is an initial cost to buy them but the longer term savings should quickly offset that purchase price. The amount saved depends on the size of the outdoor garden as well as the number of lights needed.
Solar Lighting Doesn’t Need Wires, Reducing Safety Risks
Every year, some unprepared homeowners hit underground electric wires while digging in their yards. Adventurous children who decide to dig for “treasure” can also find and cut through electric wires. There is a genuine risk of electrocution, one that is eliminated by using solar garden lights. Electric lights can also set off home fires, particularly during thunderstorms and other events where the wires can be hit.
Bottom line: get rid of unnecessary electric wires and eliminate the risk of electrocution or home fires caused by outdoor garden lights.
While it is impossible to put a price on peace of mind, fewer electric wires not only save money but reduces the chance of potentially fatal accidents from faulty or damaged wiring.
Do Your Electric Garden Lights Lose Power During Storms or Windy Days?
Some areas of the country are prone to power outages during bad weather. I’ve sat inside my home or car during a storm and watched solar garden lights glowing even on the darkest of days. It is challenging enough to deal with power outages inside a home without adding outdoor lighting to the mix. Besides, completely dark neighborhood look spooky and unsafe. Even if you aren’t home, solar lights will come on automatically on the darkest of days – or nights.
Bottom line: solar garden lights save money, time and neighborhood safety during electric power outages
I’m not suggesting you scoot outside during a storm, open an umbrella and read a book next to your solar lights. But those lights can add to neighborhood safety when the electric lights do go out. Remember, even a car hitting a light pole or transformer boxes can make the power go out and power surges can damage outdoor garden lights – unless those lights are solar-powered.
Finally, why not stop by a local store like Ace Hardware to see the variety of outdoor solar lighting options? From Zen style yard lights to post caps and high output solar floodlights, there are truly more choices than ever before. Odds are, you can find options to fit your garden design and save money at the same time.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Savers page, here
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