Broken Bulb Fixes

What to do when a light bulb breaks? (Photo Credits)

Removing a broken light bulb from its socket can be risky given the many dangers that a broken electrical fixture brings.

Electricians are always in the best position to carry out such tasks given their knowledge and vast experience in handling these things.

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For those though who may want to remove the broken socket right away for fear of injuring others, especially children at home, there are some safety pointers that needed to be pondered. Bulbs.com emphasizes that immediately after a bulb breaks, the homeowner should immediately turn off the power source of that specific broken bulb or better yet turn off the main power source at home. American Lighting Association

“To remove a broken light bulb, the first thing you MUST DO is turn off the power to it. If the broken light bulb is in a lamp simply unplug the lamp. If the broken light bulb is in a ceiling or wall light fixture then turn power off at the Electrical Panel and toggle the light switch to make sure the light is indeed off. Next put on a pair of protective gloves and safety glasses. Depending on the location of the bulb, you may also want to put down some type of tarp or cloth to catch any broken glass.” Read the rest of the instructions here.

Step-by-step safety instructions

Spruce.com also shared step-by-step guidelines on how to safely remove a broken bulb. “Second, get a wastebasket or a strong trash bag and put all the broken glass in it. If there are some shards still attached to the base, either leave them or, wearing gloves and eye protection, carefully snap them off use to enable you to turn the base of the light bulb out of the socket, once it is ready – using a broken bulb extractor, a pair of pliers, or a potato.” Check the rest of the detailed guidelines here.

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But what if the broken bulb will not budge? The Family Handyman shared a solution. Master Electrician

“If you have a bulb that won’t budge, put on heavy gloves and eye protection. Make sure the light switch is off, then check the base with a non-contact voltage detector just to be sure, especially if you live in an old house. Then go ahead and twist as hard as you like. Don’t worry about breaking the bulb. In fact, if the bulb just won’t turn, your next step is to break it intentionally. Hold a screwdriver tip against the bulb and give the handle a firm whack with a hammer. This leaves the bulb’s metal base in the socket.”

Electrician’s Tips on Cleaning Light Bulbs

Read the rest of the article here.

The first step to ensure safety following a broken light bulb is to immediately turn off the light switch to remove the power source from the broken light bulb. Afterwhich, turn off the main power to prevent electric shocks.