Does this sound familiar? You walk in to a room to flick a light switch, and the bulb is burned out again. The frustration mounts because you feel like you just replaced that bulb, and the expenses are adding up. It can be a bit mind numbing, upsetting, and certainly quite costly if you have to continue replacing light bulbs throughout your home. And did you know that the cause of your bulbs wearing out so quickly could be an electrical issue, and a fire hazard in the making? If this sounds familiar, Gervais Electric, Inc. recommends you identify the reasons why your light bulbs burn out so often ASAP.
CAUSES FOR FREQUENT LIGHT BULB BURN OUTS AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
No matter what type of bulbs you may have in your home, if you’re constantly replacing light bulbs, its time to identify the source of the problem. There are a number of reasons why light bulbs, of all types, can burn out rather quickly.
- The bulbs may be loose or improperly connected – If a bulb is loosely or improperly connected, it will burn out quickly because of the intermittent voltage flowing through it. This typically causes flickering. If this is happening, be sure the bulb is properly screwed into the socket. If it is loose, then screw the bulb in until it is snug in the socket. But, be sure not to screw it in too tightly because you can cause damage to the socket tab.
- You may be installing the wrong kind of light bulbs – If a table lamp should be used with a 60-watt bulb, but you’re using a 120-watt bulb, excess heat is created in the fixture, which will minimize the lifespan of the bulb. Be sure that both the bulb and the fixture have the same wattage.
- The voltage of the power supply may be too high – 120-volt electrical outlets are standard. So be sure your bulb is not connected to a 220-volt outlet. Plugging into a higher voltage outlet may cause the bulb to shine brighter, but it will burn out very quickly.
- Constant vibrations may cause the filament to break – A garage door, or various types of ceiling fans, can create excessive vibrations in your home, and ultimately cause broken filaments in light bulbs. If this is an ongoing problem it may be best to switch over to LED bulbs that have no filaments.
- The wiring in the fixture may be loose – When wiring is loose, power to your bulb will be intermittent, causing the bulbs to burn out faster. If there is an issue with the wiring, we recommend you contact a professional electrician to resolve the problem.
- The type of bulb you’re using may not be compatible with the linked dimmer switch – Today’s new state of the art light bulbs are simply not compatible with many dimmer switches. Dimmer switches from yesteryear were designed for incandescent bulbs, not the modern bulbs we have today. So be sure to check the compatibility of both your bulb and your dimmer switch.
TRUST OUR EXPERTS
If you find yourself replacing light bulbs frequently, you may be faced with a safety hazard in your home that should be identified as soon as possible by a professional electrician. That’s where Gervais Electric comes in. Our team of highly skilled and experienced electricians are here to identify problems and provide effective solutions for you. We’re available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. Call our team today. We look forward to serving you with only the highest quality electrical products, services, and repairs!
