A light bulb that burns out quickly may be more than just a hassle; it could be a safety hazard that requires prompt expert attention. 9 Reasons Why Light Bulbs Burn Out Too Quickly High Voltage in the Home. When the light bulb base is not properly making contact with the light bulb itself, this will cause small arcs that will degrade the bulb over time. However, a few major factors can affect how long your bulb lasts. If it is a major problem at your property, the power provider might have to check on their end what the cause of the problem actually is. Why do LEDs eventually burn out? CFLs are particularly vulnerable to this type of usage because turning them on and off repeatedly degrades their electrodes, significantly diminishing the life of the bulb. Savings on services from licensed, expert electricians are only a click away. If so, the heat has nowhere to go and may buildup inside the covered fixture. The CFL bulb might even produce smoke while the base of the bulb turns black. If you are having problems with lights burning out prematurely or anything else electric, please feel free to contact us at Firestorm Electric. Excessive Fixture Vibration. These loose connections increase the electrical resistance and the heat passing through the filament of the bulb, which can shorten its life. 587-434-8939. Not in a matter of hours, perhaps. I've tried a variety, but they all seem to burn out within a year or sooner. As my experience, high quality led light is not easy burn out /damage. My light bulbs keep burning out over my kitchen table. About Us. I moved into a new house a couple of years ago. If it gets bent down too far, it will not make proper contact with the bulb. Another potential problem is corroded contacts on the socket itself. The Light Bulb is Screwed in Too Tightly. To avoid this, always make sure that the bulb’s wattage does not exceed the fixture’s wattage recommendation. None of these things should cause concern. Older dimmer switches were made to be used with incandescent bulbs. Bulbs may be loose or connected improperly. Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs and LEDs (light-emitting diode) typically last much longer – up to 10 thousand usage hours for CFLs and 25 thousand hours for LEDs. I lived in an old farm house. Learn more about our community of home service experts. When you want electrical repairs or installations at your home, you need a professional electrician you can trust to do the job right. Find out why your oven light bulbs aren't lasting—and call in our pros for a quick oven repair. I have a outside light that will burn out in 2 to 2 weeks. If you do not follow the manufacturer's recommendations, it could potentially cause a fire or damage if their product is being used not as intended. Using them with CFL or LED bulbs can damage the bulb or circuitry. It’s possible to screw a light bulb too tightly into a fixture. Apply Online to work for a Locally Owned and Operated Mr. Electric Franchisee. You may notice flickering if this is the case. There are many possible reasons why a light bulb burns out quickly: In North American homes, 120-volt electrical outlets are standard. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Once this happens, the bulb will get damaged. Find out why, and what you can do about it! The most common issue that shortens bulb life is higher-than-normal voltage. The average incandescent bulb has a lifespan of about 1,000 hours, so homeowners can usually count on several months of use before bulb replacement. A good number of bulb manufacturers normally use the toughened glass for the manufacture of the headlights; however, this doesn’t make them strong enough to resist the thermal shock. Every bulb is slightly different from one another, so check the packaging to see what temperature that your light bulb can operate in properly without causing too much trouble. The power supply voltage may be too high. Save with Advantage Plan. Some bulb brands don’t have enough solder at the base of the bulb to fully connect to the socket tab, which can cause arcing, diminishing the bulb’s lifespan. Are you ready to get Neighborly? Cochrane - Calgary  - Airdrie - Rocky View County - Bragg Creek -Redwood Meadows - Canmore - Cremona, Why do my Light Bulbs Keep Burning Out - 6 Smart Tips, If you are having problems with lights burning out prematurely or anything else electric, please feel free to contact us at. If you look careful at any standard light bulb, it will usually have a operating range specified 110V to 130V in North America. If the reading is more than 120 volts, contact a licensed electrician right away to check for electrical supply issues. If you find yourself burning through multiple light bulbs throughout your home in the … With 17 years of electrical experience, you can be assured that we can take care of you in a professional manner and get the job done right! I've had two out of seven bulbs in our kitchen go bad as well. I live in Detroit. The Ultras are only rated for 125 hrs of use. Three LED bulbs in there burned out in a matter of months. In both cases, power to the bulb is intermittent, so it’s essentially like turning the switch on and off repeatedly. LED lights are on dimmers: If you have the LED bulbs on a dimmer switch, … This excess heat can make the light bulbs burn out faster. Over tightening is just as bad, as it can damage the base and cause poor connection between the socket and the bulb. If it does not stay within the specified range, the bulb will not work effectively, thus shortening its lifespan. I might as well tell you all. The 60 watt candelabra bulbs in 2 small pendant lights above the kitchen counter have always burned out faster than they should, but new bulbs have burned out lately in less than 2 weeks. As part of the Neighborly family of home services, you can trust our friends at Mr. Handyman to deliver expert solar tube installation at your home. Some of the reasons that light bulbs burn out immediately include: Light Bulbs Getting Too Hot If a light fixture is not insulated properly or a light bulb is the wrong wattage for the fixture, the heat generated by the bulb can cause the filament to burn too hot, causing the bulb to burn out quickly. If this isn’t the case, try switching light bulb brands. the same bulb is operated by two different light switches. If you have recessed pot light cans, typically the information can be found written inside the can as there might be more than one accepted bulb for the fixture. Check to make sure that your dimmer switch and light bulb are compatible with each other. My issue is that light bulbs all over the house burn out pretty fast. All Mr. Electric Franchise Locations Are Independently Owned And Operated. And they keep burning out on me. One of its selling features was "economical" LED light bulbs throughout. Light Bulbs Burning Out Fast Electrical | New Construction text: Tim Carter Light Bulbs Burning Out Fast TIPS. At this point, I would check the voltage to the headlight bulbs. If you are a resident of or want to locate a franchise in one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your state. A lot of the time, there is a sticker somewhere on the light fixture itself that will tell you the correct wattage and bulb style for the fixture. We discovered bulbs from both Ikea and TCP that failed to reach the 6,000 hour mark for the majority of samples we tested. Can there be something wrong with the light or the wiring? There is that one bulb or area in your home or business that you seem to have to change out bulbs frequently and you have no idea as to why. In two years ( at different intervals, one only lasted a few months). An easy fix for this is to switch out your existing light bulbs for lower wattage bulbs. Mr. Electric, All Rights Reserved. Some fixtures are designed to automatically shut off if overheated. … If the light is connected to a standard outlet, use a multimeter to check the outlet. Incandescent bulbs can be expected to last for about a thousand hours. “Why do my light bulbs keep burning out?” We’re glad you asked! Have you considered solar tubes? On those same circuits, the older type bulbs will also generally live significantly shorter lives and blow out more frequently than they should. If light bulbs burn out frequently in a fixture … Ideally, the tab and the bulb solder should be roughly the same size, allowing for a good connection between the two. State and local laws may impact the services this independently owned and operated franchise location may perform at this time. It is frustrating, and expensive to have to keep changing out bulbs to keep an area lit up. LEDs are far more efficient than older types of light bulb. Residential. This usually happens when the bulbs get in touch with water or moisture that has leaked within. Insulation in recessed lighting may be causing overheating. Within 3 months we were claiming the warranty. A fixture's inability to perform correctly often has much to do with improper handling or installation. But there is just one problem. We will be able to get your lighting problem sorted out in a jiffy so you can enjoy the better parts of life! Kitchen designer Dave Alderman tells Money that bulbs can come with bad built-in electronic drivers, which could lower a bulb’s lifespan from 40 years to 5. This is a grey area also described as "my light bulbs keep blowing" by people. And my house was built in 1946. Excessive vibrations or jarring from things like ceiling fans or automatic garage doors can cause incandescent bulbs to burn out prematurely due to broken filaments. Instead of burning out suddenly like traditional bulbs, LEDs get gradually dimmer, as the individual light emitting diodes that make up the bulb fail one by one. We highly recommend that you allow some room for the heat to escape to take advantage of the long lifespan of our LED bulbs. Let us show you some great reasons to call us. If there is a herd of children that stomp their feet or machinery that vibrates, this can cause a bulb to become loose. Why do LED bulbs burn out?I've had loads of LED bulbs burn out on me. Newer models may be designed to be in contact with insulation (IC-rated), but older recessed lighting fixtures can overheat if insulation is too close to the housing. If the bulb in question is near an entrance, installed in a ceiling with heavy upstairs foot traffic, or located in other places where vibrations are inevitable, consider switching to an LED bulb (which has no filament) or install “rough service” bulbs, which are designed to better handle vibrations. LED bulbs use far less power than other bulb types, so consider switching to enjoy brighter, more efficient lighting. If your light bulbs keep burning out despite efforts to address the issue, don’t wait to contact Mr. Electric®. It can be bent back up to correct this problem and prolong the light bulbs life. GE Appliances Factory Service remains open at this time to provide the essential repair services you need while doing our part to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Loose connections between the circuit and the fixture can cause light bulbs to burn out faster. Mr. Electric is a registered trademark of Mr. Electric LLC, Copyright © 2021. They install them, and may get some dimming, but may include the classic disco effect(on and off like a strobe light) or flickering. Make sure that the tab is angled up so that it connects with the base of the bulb. It’s frustrating, and it’s expensive to keep replacing bulbs. There are six of these bulbs in the kitchen ceiling, and four of them have burned out. Our courteous professionals are ready to answer your questions and take care of all your electrical needs. So When you are using led bulbs, you need check the quality and check the supplier is in good control the quality.Then you you using your led light longer. It can cause warping and is just not a good idea in general. We know that not everyone is able to perform home repairs – and electrical work is not a good DIY project! Call us at (844) 866-1367 today. My landlord says that nothing can be wrong, but I beg to differ and I'm tired of changing the bulbs every few months. To Our Valued Owners. Why do my light bulbs keep burning out? Dimmer Switches that Aren’t Compatible with the Bulbs. The last bulb was a florescent and it lasted about 3 months. Every light bulb has a standard operating temperature that the bulb will work effectively. On a common 4 foot fluorescent tube style light, the ends of the bulb may not be sitting correctly in the tombstones and the end of the fixture. It is frustrating, and expensive to have to keep changing out bulbs to keep an area lit up Today in this blog, we are going to go through some of the big things that will cause a light bulb prematurely. Check to make sure that the bulb is correctly screwed into the socket; if it’s loose, turn the bulb until it’s snug. There is a situation where "Blowing Light Bulbs" is not fairly immediate, but where the life of the lamp does not meet a customers expectation of a nominal 1000 hours burning. From priority scheduling, preferential pricing, exclusive savings, and more. Dimmable LED light bulb. There are different circumstances why a fixture might experience excessive vibration, but commonly seen causes are ceiling fans that are wobbly, or fixture beneath an exercise room or child’s bedroom. Be sure that the light is connected to a standard outlet rather than a 220-volt outlet, which is usually in place for high voltage appliances like dryers and stoves. It is for information purposes only. The electronic chips and capacitors often run much hotter internally than the air around them. For example: if the socket is dented/depressed, this will result in incorrect contact between it and the bulb. When it was time to first change the headlights on my wife's Captiva, we found UltraStars on Amazon for $36/pair. If just left, they will most certainly shorten the life expectancy of the light bulb. One thing you can check on a standard style light bulb base is the tab inside the base. If the socket contacts are damaged, the socket or the fixture itself should be replaced. If the circuit is not connected properly from beginning to end, this could cause voltage fluctuation and more dead bulbs to replace. This is also another area that should be mentioned in this blog as loose connections can cause a variety of problems including bulb burnout. This information will help you select the proper bulb for as intended. In short, an LED bulb in an enclosed space will get hot and fail prematurely or burn the components. Mr. Electric is proud to be part of the Neighborly® family of home service providers. But our tests show that not only do many LED light bulbs stop working before the end of their promised lifespan, some don’t even reach the soon-to-be-implemented EU minimum lifespan of 6,000 hours. Garage doors are one of the least hospitable places for a light bulb to call home. The light may also flicker due to loosened connections. That’s why troubleshooting to find out why your light bulbs keep burning out is crucial. They don't last more than a year and this includes long life kinds, ones warrantied for 7+ years and such. Recessed light fixtures, also known as “can lights,” are typically installed inside the ceiling. Another cause of bulbs burning out is excessive fixture vibration. You may be using the wrong type of light bulb. For example, LED bulbs are better suited to light fixtures that have frequent on/off usage throughout the day – like those in motion sensors or bathrooms. I've noticed in the past years that the three main lamps in my track lighting which lights my room tend to burn out fairly quickly (all three bulbs about 3 times a year) and I can't seem to figure out why. Another cause for your light bulbs to burn out quickly could be excessive vibration they are subjected to. Another possible issue: you may be using a bulb that is not well-suited for its location. Just because the base of the light fixture accepts the light bulb that you screwed in, doesn't mean that it is necessarily correct. This situation also poses a fire risk. Asking this question of an average electrician will get you sales pitches for expensive electrical inspections.But often the problem is one that can be diagnosed and fixed rather quickly, and there is no need for a whole home inspection. High voltage. This more than likely will be something that your friendly, neighborhood electrician can take care of unless you have the eye of a trained professional. This is another common problem that causes premature burnout on any style or size of fixture. For example, if a lamp is rated for 60 watts, placing a 120-watt bulb in the fixture creates excess heat, shortening the bulb’s life, and possibly even causing a fire. I attributed it to being perhaps a bad batch. The bulb may be incompatible with a linked dimmer switch. The diodes in your LED bulb can use the very low level of current to create light (other bulbs can't do this). There is that one bulb or area in your home or business that you seem to have to change out bulbs frequently and you have no idea as to why. Please contact the franchise location for additional information. One other common mistake people make is that they do not realize that all bulbs have the capability to dim, especially with LED bulbs in particular. 797 views Sponsored by Bloomberg News If the LEDs are on an inadequate electrical supply then they can burn out faster than incandescent or florescent bulbs. So use the search bar below to find your local Mr. Electric today: This information is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. Unplug or switch off power to the unit and use a plastic or wooden item to gently bend the tab up slightly, so it can make full contact with the bulb. A common problem with older style dimmers, is that they are not designed to work with newer technologies like LED bulbs. When it does burn out, expect a dramatic pop and a distinct odor. A loose or improperly connected light bulb will burn out more quickly due to intermittent voltage. I replaced them, and have had another one go out already. I keep buying LED bulbs (which should be good quality–and look like regular bulbs, for all intents and purposes). It has good connections, is clean, and is not getting wet. The inside of the bulbs have a black and white film, which makes … As you head downstairs to do some laundry, you flip the light switch, and once again, the light bulb – the one you just installed a few weeks ago – burns out! One of the things that is killing your bulbs, is that they are your DRL's as well. This can absolutely cause internal malfunction within a fixture, resulting in your light bulbs burning out faster. Also to know is, why do my LED light bulbs keep blowing? If it is too hot or too cold, this may cause your bulb to flicker or just burn out. You may be using the wrong type of bulb for the fixture. On a standard 120V light bulb, the bulb may be too loose or too tight. If you live in a rural setting or sometimes even in a urban setting, there may be problems with consistent Voltage coming out of the transformers at the pole. Home. On the other hand, light bulbs that have been screwed in too tightly can damage the socket tab, a small metal tab at the bottom of the socket that carries power to the bulb. Commercial. Even worse, in some cases, the situation can indicate a potential fire hazard. Regardless of the bulb type, if your light bulbs keep burning out long before they should, it’s time to investigate. Habitually loose connections, either at the socket or with the wire connections, can burn out the bulb quickly, as well as cause flickering. Is your light fixture covered by a glass, metal, or other type of enclosure, or you have recessed lighting? Interested in alternative lighting options? Mr. Electric provides only the highest-quality service. Glowing LEDs can be particularly noticeable when light bulbs are fitted with two-way switches, i.e. Turn off circuit breaker to lights; Remove bulb from socket; Look at brass tab at base of socket - it will be flat or nearly flat; Use needle-nose pliers to pull tab up carefully so it's at 30-degree angle CLICK HERE for BEST pliers.