If you want to minimize any secondary illumination from your outdoor light fixtures and only send the light where it is needed, you should take a look at Dark Sky compliant light fixtures. These fixtures are perfect for saving energy as well as reducing the annoying extraneous glare. The wildlife in the area will love the decrease in light pollution and light clutter. You will enjoy a considerably lower utility bill month after month.

If you have seen how important Dark Sky light fixtures are to your home then you are probably ready to start retrofitting your space with these eco-friendly, energy saving light fixtures. We would be happy to help and are available to answer any questions your make have.

The most reliable way to know you are using genuine Dark Sky compliant light fixtures is to look for the stamp of approval from the International Dark Sky Association or IDA on any products you are looking at. There are many products available that bear this stamp. If you are unable to find this product line, there are some features you should look for in order to find night-friendly fixtures for your home. Some features to look for are:

1. Most fixtures are made with solid, opaque top- and side-covers which ensure light is not sent skyward or sideways.

2. Some of the authentic Dark Sky fixtures use a reflector to direct the light downward. The reflector in normally found in the inner top part of the casing.

3. Flat- rather than rounded-lenses at the fixture’s base help to reduce glare and light spillage.

If you currently have outdoor lighting that you are pleased with, you may not be too excited about replacing every single fixture that is on the exterior of your house. If this is the case you could retrofit using light shields. Light shields are cylindrical shaped enclosures that cover both the top and the sides of your existing fixture to reduce up-lighting. Since they are available in a wide array of colors and shapes it is pretty simple to match your fixtures to create a perfectly seamless look.

Of course, any time you can save energy, you’ll be cutting your power bill, too. Did you know that nationwide, it is estimated that we waste $1.5 billion worth of light every year! This is due to the huge quantities of light that we send upwards where it’s not needed. Take, for example, the city of San Diego. They recently retrofitted their outdoor light fixtures with full cut-off lighting, and although it took them three years to make back the money they spent on the job (a short return on investment, really), they’re now saving $3 million every year in energy costs.

The city of San Diego decided to do something about this waste of light. They hired a fir to retrofit the city’s outdoor light fixtures to full cut-off lighting. While it did take them three years to make the money back on their investment, they are now saving more that $3 million dollars each year for the cost of energy.

While you have nowhere near the energy bill of San Diego, any wasted light is taking money right out of your pocket. If you were to install full cut-off fixtures that were specifically focused, the number of fixtures needed and your energy costs would decrease. It is very likely that you would also be able to use smaller bulbs in the fixtures since they will be focused downward. Each of these factors will contribute to lower energy costs and more cash in your pocket which is good news considering the constantly rising energy cost.