Do you leave your Porch / Exterior lights on at night?

[StewedCarrot]

Our home goes lights out.

1. It helps birds and insects survive.
2. Residential burglary is primarily a daytime activity.
3. For those who worry, we live in the age of infrared and low-light cameras, and motion detectors.

[sc9182]

Porch Lights on timer, and occasionally on random evening/night schedule -- if we are on vacay. Same goes for some interior lights ..
Going to jinx it -- our LCD-bulbs which are on such timers (we rarely operate the porch lights manually) -- are running on their 12th year counting, near full-brightness -- with daily use for about 5-6 hours, year-around.

[iamblessed]

No but we leave a light on inside the house on a timer. You can see the light from the street.

[biscuit5]

...Light pollution (affecting humans and animals), unnecessary electricity use, annoying your neighbors, and apparently a false sense of security.

Sorry I feel strongly about this, but I'm an astronomer. Outdoor lights have mostly destroyed the night sky, and many of them are completely unnecessary....

+1001

[TomatoTomahto]

Our home goes lights out.

1. It helps birds and insects survive.
2. Residential burglary is primarily a daytime activity.
3. For those who worry, we live in the age of infrared and low-light cameras, and motion detectors.

Okay. I reset my timers to only have lights on when delivery trucks are expected.

ETA: it's the bird argument that got me, not the burglary one. That said, it's way on the other side of the house from our meadow where the birds are, but whatever.

[hnd]

We live in the middle of corn and soybean fields. I have a large "street" light that is on all the time a ways away from the house that shines on the animal pens. Other than that we don't have any front of house lighting. our garage on the side of the house has motion sensing lights that will turn on if needed.

We have a large dog with quite a bark, (no bite) that will let you know whoever is in the driveway is there and sleeps in the garage at night.

[Alan S.]

No, never.
But we live in a low crime area.

[lightfighter214]

Lights work both ways. Nefarious people get a better view of your house with the lights on.

[Lambert Strether]

As a stargazer, I prefer to limit my contribution to light pollution. I need to have a special reason to turn on outside lights.

[penumbra]

Only when I'm driving.....

Oh, you said Porch, not Porsche.

Nevermind.....

[tooluser]

Permanent and motion sensor lights are part of a multi-layered defense system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUkU18MrBzU&t=51

[Doom&Gloom]

Only when I'm driving.....

Oh, you said Porch, not Porsche.

Nevermind.....

LOL

Your username is perfectly suited for this thread!

[StevieG72]

My porch and garage lights are on 24/7. All LEDs, porch light is not very noticeable during the day.

[wander]

I turn them off, wild animals need to sleep too, I think.

[kelway]

No! Light pollution is one of my pet peeves.

[leeks]

Yes porch light and lights along front walkway we leave on overnight. Side and back decks we keep lights off as those could be disruptive to neighbors and don't feel useful.

[pezblanco]

...Light pollution (affecting humans and animals), unnecessary electricity use, annoying your neighbors, and apparently a false sense of security.

Sorry I feel strongly about this, but I'm an astronomer. Outdoor lights have mostly destroyed the night sky, and many of them are completely unnecessary....

+1001

+1 .... bird populations are plummeting. Give them a break. If you have to contribute to light pollution, at least try to keep them off during the migrations in the fall and spring.

[JonFund]

I leave my front and back porch lights on at night. That way, if someone is trying to break into my house, I can get a good view of them before I shoot them.

[Flyer24]

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