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Why Do Your Light Bulbs Keep Blowing?

Why Do Your Light Bulbs Keep Blowing?

There is no greater headache than being in the middle of your daily routine and having a light blow out for no apparent reason, but have you noticed your light bulbs blowing a bit too often? The average incandescent bulb should last around 1000 hours, a little over a month, and LEDs have a lifespan of roughly 50,000 hours. So, if either of these bulb types are burning out more often than what’s normal, chances are something is going wrong on some level with your bulbs or electrical. Keep reading for more on why your light bulbs may be blowing as well as what you can do to stop it from happening.

Poor Quality Light Bulbs

One of the causes for frequently blown light bulbs can be as simple as the bulbs themselves. If you purchased cheap, off-brand or defective light bulbs, the filaments inside the bulbs may be thinner and more prone to blow outs.

Try purchasing better quality light bulbs from a reliable brand and switch out bulbs in the areas where they frequently blow for the new bulbs.

Overpowering Your Light Bulbs

Your bulbs blowing may come down to the voltage in your home or business being higher than normal. High voltages will make your bulbs burn hotter and brighter, making them burn out faster. If you’re receiving just 5% more voltage than the average, this can cut the lifespan of your light bulbs in half! If it’s 10% more, that can be up to around 700 hours of your bulb’s overall lifespan down the drain.

If you think high voltage could be the cause of your light bulbs blowing, consider purchasing an inexpensive voltage tester to check it.

Light Fixtures Are Vibrating

Why Do Your Light Bulbs Keep Blowing?

If you notice the bulb that’s blowing is in a ceiling fan or near appliances that vibrate, the frequent movement may be to blame. Filament bulbs are extremely fragile, especially cheaper brand bulbs. If they’re exposed to constant vibration, it may lead to filament breakage and cause the bulb to blow out.

A quick fix for this issue is to switch out bulbs in that space with rough service light bulbs that have stronger filaments built to handle vibration. Alternatively, a simple switch to LED bulbs will work too!

Loose Connection with Your Light Bulbs

Bulbs can also blow out because of a poor connection with your light fixture. When a bulb is loosely screwed in, it may be struggling to connect to the current and eventually short out. Light bulbs that are screwed in too tight, however, can also become damaged at the connection point and lead to the same issue.

Make sure your bulbs are firmly screwed into the socket but not tight enough to damage them. If you still experience blowing bulbs after, you may need to have a professional replace the fixture or socket to remedy the issue.

Need Electrical Assistance in Pierce County?

From hot tub wiring to lighting upgrades and more, our team of professional electricians at Tapps Electric handle a wide range of commercial and residential projects for clients in and around Pierce County. If you need a reliable, efficient, and knowledgeable electrician – give Tapps Electric a call today at (253) 993-4626 to get started!

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