Changing Lightbulbs - Tips From a Handyman
Changing Lightbulbs - Tips From a Handyman
Why has this household task become a staple of silly jokes and riddles? You know the sort of thing:
Q: How many social workers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Seven: one to change it and six to produce a publication called "Coping with Darkness".
Q: How many (insert nationality that you want to pick on here) does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One hundred and one: one to hold it and 100 to turn the house around.
Seriously, though, if you've never changed a lightbulb before, it can seem like a bit of a puzzle. It can be a bit of a lethal puzzle, too, as if you do it wrong, you can electrocute yourself. The job gets even trickier if the bulb has really blown, i.e. shattered, leaving the end in the socket and a jagged bit of broken glass. If you can call your handyman London to help you, but if you prefer to do the job yourself, read below.
Let's start with the basics. First of all, make sure that the power is switched off before you begin. Then get on a sturdy chair or stool if you can't reach the bulb. If the bulb was on for some time before it blew, the glass will be hot, so use a handkerchief or another soft cloth to protect your fingers. Unscrew the bulb from the fitting.
You will now need a new bulb. If you have kept a stock of spare bulbs, just get one of these (and congratulations on your thinking ahead were you a Boy Scout who had to Be Prepared when you were younger?). If, like most of us, you didn't keep a stock of spares, you'll have to purchase a new one (or, if it's dark and you really need that light right now, pinch a bulb from the spare bedroom or a desk lamp or some other little-used place). When you buy the new bulb, you need to make sure that you have the right sort of fitting either screw-in or bayonet fitting. Also take care when selecting the wattage. Using a lower wattage of bulb does use less electricity (and thus reduces your power bill marginally), it produces less light. Using a 75 W bulb in places that don't need bright lights, such as bedrooms, is OK. But if you need to see clearly to work properly (e.g. in the kitchen), use a 100 W bulb. If you need to replace a bulb in a chandelier or a fitting that uses several bulbs, then lower wattages are fine. Whether to use clear or frosted glass is more or less a matter of taste.
It is better to steer clear of tinted lightbulbs for general everyday use. However, if you want to use a coloured bulb for mood lighting, go for it!
Screw the new lightbulb in place and switch it back on. If you had to remove a lampshade to change the lightbulb, then replace it. It's best to do this before switching the light back on, as a bright lightbulb at close quarters can be dazzling, making it hard for you to see what you're doing. Dispose of the lightbulb in the regular rubbish even though it is glass, it can be difficult to recycle this because of the gases in the bulb. Check with your local recycling depot to see if they take old lightbulbs.
If the lightbulb broke in place, begin once again by switching the power off and making sure you have a stable platform to work from. You will also need rubber gloves and a carrot. The carrot is going to substitute for your fingers. Put on the rubber gloves to protect your hands from splinters then wedge the carrot into the broken bulb (or the fitting left at the bottom). The bits of broken glass and the metal of the fitting with bite into the carrot (better it than you) and stick in there, allowing you to turn the fitting and remove it. If the lightbulb you are removing has been hanging down, this is all you need to do. If it was pointing sideways or upwards, then quickly whip around the empty fitting with the vacuum cleaner to make sure that all the splinters of broken glass are gone. Replace the lightbulb as usual, then tidy up the broken bits of glass, still using the rubber gloves to protect your hands. Wrap the broken glass up and dispose of in the rubbish, then vacuum to make sure that all the splinters of glass are removed.
If lots of lights in the house go off at once, don't change any lightbulbs you are either dealing with a blown fuse or with a power cut.
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