We're currently looking for landscape lighting installers, suppliers and lead partners for this website. Click here for details.Typical cost LED lighting system: $3,000–$10,000 per homeTypical cost Installed fixture: $200–$500 eachTypical cost LED upgrade: Priced per fixtureTypical cost Lighting repair: Priced per visitTypical cost Design consult: FreeFranklin Fall tip Longer nights make lighting even more useful.Franklin Fall tip Check timers when daylight hours change.We're currently looking for landscape lighting installers, suppliers and lead partners for this website. Click here for details.Franklin Winter tip Light paths and steps for safer evenings.Franklin Winter tip Check fixtures after storms or heavy weather.Franklin Spring tip Re-aim lights as plants leaf out.Franklin Spring tip Plan lighting with new patio projects.Franklin Summer tip Light patios and pools for evening use.Franklin Summer tip Trim plants that block fixtures.U.S. Census Bureau Williamson County, Tennessee: 1,086 new homes permitted so far in 2026 (through August)

Home / Blog

Replacing Outdoor Bulbs in Franklin? Shop by Lumens, Not Watts

By Franklin Night Lighting · November 2, 2026

Outdoor wall lantern glowing against dark siding at night — Photo: Erik Mclean / Pexels, Pexels License

Longer nights mean your porch, entry and path lights in Franklin are doing more work. If you're replacing old bulbs this season, ENERGY STAR's advice is to shop by lumens, not watts. Brightness is a measure of light output in lumens, and bulb packages list the lumens along with the equivalent standard wattage, with labels like "60 watt replacement." [ENERGY STAR]

Lumens to match the old bulb

ENERGY STAR lists the minimum brightness that matches common incandescent bulbs: [ENERGY STAR]

40 watts: 450 lumens
60 watts: 800 lumens
75 watts: 1,100 lumens
100 watts: 1,600 lumens
150 watts: 2,600 lumens

To save energy, find bulbs with the lumens you need and pick the one with the lowest wattage. [ENERGY STAR]

What to know about LEDs

LED lighting produces light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent bulbs, which release 90% of their energy as heat. [ENERGY STAR]
LEDs usually don't burn out. They dim slowly over time, and their rated "lifetime" is a prediction of when light output drops by 30 percent. [ENERGY STAR]
Heat management is generally the most important factor in how well an LED performs over its life. The hotter LEDs run, the faster their light fades. ENERGY STAR certified LED products are tested to make sure they manage heat properly. [ENERGY STAR]
LEDs are directional, so they put light in a specific direction instead of in all directions like incandescent bulbs. [ENERGY STAR]
Some LED fixtures have the LEDs built in as a permanent light source, so check whether your fixture takes a replaceable bulb at all. [ENERGY STAR]

Sources

Want your outdoor lighting done right?

Get a free quote from local Franklin landscape lighting pros.

Get my free quote Call now

Franklin Night Lighting is an editorial local guide with a daily blog for Franklin, with links to local pros and associates.

Get Your Free Landscape Lighting Quote

Tell us what you need and where. We usually reply the same day.

Prefer to talk? Tap to call

No obligation and no pressure.

Franklin Night Lighting is an independent referral service that connects you with local landscape lighting pros.