Short answer: after a storm, look before you power up. Check that the transformer is dry, reset any tripped breaker once, then walk the yard for fixtures that fell, filled with water or lost their wire. If the lights will not come on after that, our minimum service call is $95.
What storms do to low-voltage lighting
Georgia springs bring hard thunderstorms with wind and heavy rain. Low-voltage landscape systems are built to live outdoors, but a storm still finds the weak spots. Wind drops limbs on fixtures and pulls wire out of the ground. Water floods a low spot where a transformer or junction sits. Lightning near the house can trip a breaker or damage electronics. Heavy runoff can wash soil off buried wire, leaving it exposed where a mower or string trimmer will cut it.
Clay does not drain quickly, so a yard that stays soggy for days after a storm keeps water around connections longer than you would like.
What to check, in order
- Stay off wet ground near a fallen power line. If a line is down, call the utility, not us.
- Look at the transformer. Is it dry, upright and still plugged in? Water inside the housing means stop and call.
- Check the outlet and breaker. If a GFCI outlet tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off.
- Check the timer or photocell. A power blip can reset the clock.
- Walk the yard in daylight for fixtures that are tipped, snapped or buried under debris.
- Look for wire lying on the surface. Do not stretch it back; just note where.
- Walk the system again at dusk to see what is dark or dim.
What you are likely to find
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Whole system off | Tripped GFCI or breaker, power loss at the outlet | Reset once, then call if it trips again |
| A section dark | Wire pulled loose, a limb on a fixture, a failed connection | Mark the section and call |
| Flickering after rain | Water in a connection | Turn off and let us look |
| Fixture full of water | Failed seal | Replace the fixture |
| Fixtures leaning | Soft soil after runoff | Reset and firm them up |
| Clock wrong | Power flicker | Reset the clock |
Why not keep resetting the breaker
A breaker is a safety device. If it trips once during a storm, resetting it is fair. If it trips again, there is probably water or a fault in the line, and trying again does not clear it. Low-voltage is safer than line voltage, but the transformer that feeds it is plugged into house power.
What is fair DIY
Standing a fixture back up, clearing debris and resetting a timer clock are fine. Leave wire splicing, transformer work and any unplugged-then-wet connections to a pro. If the system was installed with the wire buried, a break can be anywhere along it, and finding it takes tools and patience.
What we do on a storm visit
We start at the transformer, check voltage along the run, and trace the break instead of replacing everything. We reset fixtures, replace the ones that took water and tell you the cost before we start. Our minimum service call is $95. New fixtures start from $195 each. We offer lifetime-brass fixture options for the spots that always get wet. The estimate is free, and you get a firm number first.
If your sprinklers were running when the storm hit, we can also check sprinkler heads and valves in the same visit. See sprinkler repair.
When to call us
Call when a breaker will not stay on, a section is dark after you have checked the basics, or any fixture has water in it. We answer day and night, offer same-day service and are family-owned, licensed and insured. See our landscape lighting design page and our lighting page.
FAQ
Can lightning damage landscape lighting? It can. A nearby strike can trip breakers or damage the transformer. If lights do not return, have the transformer checked.
Is it safe to touch landscape lights after a storm? Low-voltage fixtures are safe to handle when the power is off. Stay away from any downed line.
Why are my lights flickering after rain? Usually water in a connection. Turn the system off and have it looked at.
What does a storm repair cost? Our minimum service call is $95, and bigger repairs are quoted before work starts.
Prices from our price list. Updated October 2026.