I've been flying a flag off of the side of my house since 09-11-2001, day and night, rain, or shine, or hell water, but Mrs Heretic really wants a real flag pole. Yesterday after transplanting a couple of Prairie Rose bushes which are taking over our front flower garden (mistake?) and during some extremely high winds, I noticed that the flag was snagging on the rose bush thorns.
So, to fix that problem I found a 7 or so foot piece of chain link fence rail in my super secret metal stash pile and drove it into the ground and duct taped the 5' flag pole to it to come up with a 10' vertical pole. The 10 foot height is perfect for viewing the flag from inside our house but is a tad bit low and the flag might slap someone in the face.
It looks so good that I am going to install a real 16' aluminum pole and modify it to place the T.O. flag at about 12 feet so it doesn't look like it's always half staff.
Mrs Heretic is worried that we have to shine a light on the flag at dusk or take it down every night. I say that they didn't take down the flag flying over Fort McHenry during the bombs bursting in air of the War of 1812 so why should we? There is a street light kitty corner to us a couple hundred feet away anyway so it's not totally black. 
TIL that Fort McHenry and the Baltimore Bridge (Francis Scott Key Bridge) are in the same bay. Who knew? 
What says the Hive?
Is it illegal to fly an American flag at night unlit? No.
Is it proper etiquette to do so? Yes.
Flag code via the American Legion:
§ 6. Time and occasions for display
(a) It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flag staffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.
Properly illuminated is certainly up to interpretation, but I'm not sure a streetlight meets the intention. If it were me, I'd add a solar powered light in the flowerbed that's pointed towards the flag and take a set it and forget it mentality (except in bad weather/rain, take the flag down for that).
I do not have a flag pole but there is one thing I wonder...
How do you keep up with the ever changing need to fly at half mast? What I mean is daily, how do you know if its a half mast day? Is there and app for that?
Duke
MegaDork
4/30/25 8:25 p.m.
Puddy46 said:
Is it illegal to fly an American flag at night unlit? No.
Is it proper etiquette to do so? Yes.
This. ^^^^^
Also, if you opt to light it, then actually light it. Those cheapo LED / photovoltaic flagpole lights are useless.
And replace the flag when it gets faded, ripped, etc.
If you're going to make a big deal out of the symbol, then do it the right way, and actually care about it.
Sorry, I see a lot of careless, crappy "Murica F Yeah" installations around here, and I find them insulting, since they're usually from a certain crowd of cosplaytriots who talk a lot but rarely follow through. I have no problem with being proud of America and its flag; but then genuinely act like it.
In reply to John Welsh :
I get alerts from work, every state has different proclamations for deceased officials and events in addition to national ones. There are a few apps that track and announce them.
https://www.flags.com/half-staff-alert/?srsltid=AfmBOoqAKYDReYJWizKv5AWnXHrFELym2Z9v4f7U_0DGUJ_SRpBkSnRc
If flown at night, it needs to be illuminated.
Appleseed said:
If flown at night, it needs to be illuminated.
That's what my Boy Scout manual says.
As far as the original question I believe the requirement to light it at night was waived during the first Gulf War. I have a small one on a pole off my k my front porch that is up year round. Because my father drummed it into me as a kid I have a small spotlight on it.
Ratty flags are a peeve of mine as well, I replace mine every spring, they're usually still in acceptable shape at that point or slightly faded. for disposal many American Legion and VFW halls have a box out front for collection.
In reply to VolvoHeretic :
Flag looks sharp, house is a pretty color, but yep, gotta light it up at night.
In reply to Duke:
"Cosplaytriots" is great, thank you!
My personal opinion is down is better than lit but never not lit. I'm old school on those lines. Reminded me of a customer I had a few years back. Turns out he was a WWII Marine and we started talking about the military. He stopped, pointed out his flag out front, and made a point that he used to take it down but as he's gotten older he had it lit. I said yes Sir, I noticed that first thing as I walked up.
Supposed to take it down in bad weather too.
Thanks everyone. I can't help but feel that all of those fair weather rules don't sound overly patriotic, I didn't realize that the flag went off-duty. I will at least shine a light on it though.
VolvoHeretic said:
Thanks everyone. I can't help but feel that all of those fair weather rules don't sound overly patriotic, I didn't realize that the flag went off-duty. I will at least shine a light on it though.
The flag is supposed to be a sacred symbol of our country, and as such, the idea of disrespecting, neglecting, or mistreating it is seen as mistreating the USA itself.
If you are going to insist on keeping it out in poor weather, you are supposed to fly an "all-weather flag", usually made of nylon or polyester as opposed to cotton.
U.S. Flag Code
In reply to Russian Warship, Go Berkeley Yourself :
Rest assured, I love our constitution as much as anyone. Large parts of our political government not so much. Call me jaded, but I turned 18 two years after the Vietnam war officially ended and one year after the draft ended. lottery number 1-A-34. Draft card burned the day I received it and living only 60 miles from Canada, I had my escape route planned as well as perfecting my Canadian, eh.
At least I won't fly MY flag upside down like some Supreme Court Judges did.
Lighted. It also needs to be an all-weather flag.
A neighbor has one of these. It works well. Solar powered, so no need to run power to the pole.
Thanks, I'll get one of those also.
In reply to Toyman! :
Holy crap, the light costs half of the pole. I hope it lasts more than a few years. 
Where's the one with a 5 year guarantee?
Bing.com/Amazon.com: flag pole solar light top mount
In reply to VolvoHeretic :
I have no clue as to the durability. The guy down the street has had one for 8-10 years. I don't think he has had to replace his, but I honestly don't know.
If you're going to fly it at night, it needs to be lit from far enough away to light up the whole flag.
Given that you shouldn't fly it in howling winds or rain either I would much prefer to have one that's easy to take up and pull down.
I fly 2 US flags 24/7/365. They are all weather flags. One mounted on my house is illuminated by the exterior garage light that is a few inches from the base of the 6ft flag pole. The other is on a 20ft pole, which is illuminated by the streetlight across the street. I would like it lit a little better, but haven't gotten around to pulling a permit to run an electrical line out to it and install a proper light at the base. I tried a cheap solar pole mounted light but it was useless. With my work schedule, I would basically never fly it if I adhered to taking it down at night. I've always used the same Ft Sumpter excuse as the OP. I replace the flags as needed, at least once a year. I take them down if we are having very strong wind storms. I fly half mast on 9/11 and Memorial day, but usually just ignore most of the Presidential and Governorial orders, as they seem to order flags at half staff so frequently that it cheapens the symbolism of doing so, IMO.
"The "Bluejackets Manual" does not specify flag etiquette at night. However, standard American flag etiquette states that the flag should be displayed only from sunrise to sunset, but can be displayed at night if properly illuminated. If illuminated, it should be displayed with the union (the blue field with stars) in the upper left corner."
