Outdoor lighting is essential for any home. It allows you to see your way around paths and walkways, decreases the chance of your home being burglarized and makes your home less likely to be the scene of an accident. It can also beautify the home and add to its value.

Compact fluorescent lights are ideal, as they will save money and energy. They also need to be changed less frequently. If you live in a colder area, make sure you have a lamp and ballast combination that is intended for this type of climate, otherwise you may find they need to be replaced more often than initially planned.

Timers, motions sensors and photosensors are all ideal methods for saving money and energy on outdoor lighting. They allow lights to be turned on only when needed, saving the life of the bulb as well.

If you are looking to light pathways, flower gardens or front steps, solar-powered lights are a great option. These lights use photovoltaic (PV) cells to generate electricity and store it in a battery. Solar-powered lights can be turned on manually or automatically using-light-sensing controls. They can even be activated by motion-detectors.

Solar-powered lamps do not provide an overly large amount of light, but do the trick to light smaller areas, as well as add a touch of style to your home. Best of all, you need not run extension cords around your house, and in most cases, installation is as easy as pushing a stake into the ground.

For more on light, see our lighting section, or view the tips below.