Why does my light fixture keep burning out bulbs?

A light that keeps burning out bulbs is almost always telling you about heat or a poor connection, not about cheap bulbs. The usual causes are a bulb stronger than the fixture is rated for, a worn or loose socket, a loose connection behind the fixture, or a dimmer or switch that does not suit the bulb. The first is yours to check. The rest are electrical work for a licensed electrician.

The one check you can do

With the light off and the bulb cool, read the label on the fixture or socket, which gives the highest wattage it is built for, and compare it with the bulb in it. This matters for safety as well as bulb life: a bulb that is a higher wattage than recommended may overheat the light fixture, wiring or nearby combustible materials, leading to a fire.^[1] The U.S. Fire Administration gives the same instruction: use lightbulbs that match the recommended wattage on the lamp or fixture.^[2]

If the label is missing, the CPSC says that if you aren't sure, use a bulb 60 watts or less.^[1] For unmarked ceiling fixtures with miniature bulbs, use 25 watt bulbs.^[1] Also keep anything that can burn away from lamps, light fixtures and light bulbs.^[2]

If the bulbs still fail after you have matched the wattage, stop swapping bulbs and look at what the pattern says.

What the pattern usually means

One fixture, bulb after bulb. The socket may be worn, with a centre contact that has lost its spring, or the fixture may trap heat. Both shorten bulb life. A pro can tell which by looking at the socket and its sleeve. Our guide to replacing a broken light socket shows what that repair involves.

Bulbs fail quickly and the light flickers first. Flicker is a sign of a loose connection, in the socket, at the fixture or in the switch box. The CPSC notes that a loose screw holding a wire or a worn out switch can lead to electrical arcing, overheating, or a fire.^[1] Ready.gov is blunter: immediately shut off, then professionally replace, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker.^[3]

Only lights on a dimmer. A dimmer that does not suit the bulb type can make bulbs buzz, flicker or fail early. Tell the electrician what bulbs you use and what dimmer is on the wall.

Several lights on one circuit. If bulbs fail across a room or on one floor, the cause is probably in the supply to those lights, not in each fixture. That is a job for a diagnosis, not a bulb purchase. See what an electrician looks for when lights flicker.

Older wiring. In an older house, wiring and fixture boxes are more likely to have brittle insulation or worn connections. Mention the age of the house when you call.

When fixture replacement is the better answer

If the fixture is old, rusted, discoloured around the sockets or built for bulbs you can no longer buy, replacing it may cost less than repairing it, and it ends the repeat visits. Ask for both options in a written quote. Costs for a like-for-like swap are in how much an electrician charges to replace a light fixture in Virginia.

When to call a licensed pro

Call one for any fix beyond changing the bulb. Opening a fixture, replacing a socket or tracing a loose connection is electrical work, and this page gives no instructions for it. For paid work in Virginia, the law defines a tradesman as any individual who engages in, or offers to engage in, work for the general public for compensation in the trades of electrical, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.^[4] It also says no individual shall engage in, or offer to engage in, work as a tradesman as defined in § 54.1-1128 unless he has been licensed.^[5] The Board for Contractors warns that if you contract with someone who does not hold a license, the Board for Contractors may not be able to help you resolve a complaint,^[6] so check the licence before you book.

Leave the light off and call soon if you notice any of these:

• scorch marks, melted plastic or a burning smell at the fixture
• a bulb that flickers or a socket that buzzes or crackles
• a switch plate or the ceiling around the fixture that feels warm
• a breaker that trips when the light is switched on
• bulbs that fail within days, again and again, after you have matched the wattage

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