Your outdoor lighting system is one of the few home systems that runs every single night without fail — which means it also accumulates wear, weathering, and the inevitable effects of a growing landscape every single night. An annual maintenance routine keeps your system performing beautifully and catches small problems before they become expensive ones. Here’s a practical checklist for Austin homeowners.
Spring Checklist (March–April)
After winter storms: Walk your property and check for any fixtures that have been knocked out of position by falling branches, lawn crews, or frost heave. Even solid brass fixtures can be physically displaced. Re-aim any that have shifted.
Check for landscape growth: Spring in Austin means rapid plant growth. Trees that have leafed out, shrubs that have spread, and ornamental grasses that have filled in may be blocking fixtures or changing the effect of your lighting design. We commonly need to re-aim 10–20% of fixtures after a full growing season.
Inspect transformer settings: Verify that your timer or smart controller is set for the current daylight hours — if you’re still on winter settings, your lights may be coming on too early or running longer than necessary.
Summer Checklist (June–August)
Check for heat-related issues: Austin summers are brutal. Verify that all fixtures are functioning normally, that transformers aren’t overheating (they should be warm but not hot to the touch), and that no wiring is exposed or damaged from lawn maintenance equipment.
Inspect irrigation-adjacent areas: Lawn irrigation runs heavily in summer. Make sure no fixture stubs have been disturbed by irrigation repair, and that standing water isn’t pooling around any fixture bases.
Fall Checklist (September–October)
Full system walkthrough: The fall is an ideal time for a comprehensive annual inspection. Mild temperatures, stable weather, and shorter days (more lighting hours) make fall the perfect season to assess your system and make any adjustments before the holiday season.
Holiday lighting prep: If you plan to add seasonal holiday lighting, fall is the time to discuss integration with your existing low-voltage system.
Let Us Handle It for You
Our professional maintenance programs handle all of this and more. Visit our Maintenance & Repair page or call 281-570-7552 to schedule a visit.