9 Reasons Why Light Bulbs Burn Out Too Quickly

High or Fluctuating Voltage

Bulbs generally burn brighter and burn out much faster if the supply voltage to your home is too great. Test for voltage at a standard (120-volt) electrical outlet, using a multimeter or a voltage tester. Ensure you know how to do this safely because the power will be on. If a test reveals a voltage higher than 125 volts, have an electrician look at the problem, or contact your electric utility provider for recommendations. 

Excessive Fixture Vibration

Excessive fixture vibration can cause bulbs to burn out. A good example of this is a ceiling fan with a light fixture. When a fan blade becomes unbalanced, the fan starts to shake causing vibrations that jiggle the bulb filament, shortening its life. The same problem is common with light bulbs in garage door openers. Consider a rough-service bulb with heavy-duty filaments that withstand vibrations better. 

Depressed Socket Tab

If the little metal tab at the bottom of the socket gets pushed down too far, it can fail to make electrical contact with the bulb. The tab is the "hot" connection that delivers electrical current to the bulb (the surrounding threaded metal is the neutral connection).

To remedy this, unplug the lamp or turn off the power to the fixture, then use a wooden Popsicle stick to bend the tab up about 1/8 inch. Then screw the bulb back in and see if it works. Use caution in old sockets where the metal tab is brittle or has lost its spring entirely. In this case, the best solution is to replace the light bulb socket or the entire light fixture.

Wrong Type of Bulb

Compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs are notorious for quickly going bad. CFLs are commonly touted to have a lifespan of about 10,000 hours but may last only 3,000 if switched on and off many times a day.

Switch to LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs that are more efficient, last longer, and don't contain mercury like CFL bulbs. 

Loose Connections

When a bulb is loose in the socket, it can flicker on and off. Tightening the bulb in its socket may correct the problem. Another issue may be a loose wire connection where the circuit wires connect to the fixture. Habitually loose connections, either at the socket or with the wire connections, can burn out the bulb quickly and cause flickering. These loose connections increase the electrical resistance and the heat passing through the filament of the bulb, which can shorten its life.

Turn off the power and check the wires to make sure they are securely attached to the screw terminals. The bulb socket can also have worn or corroded contacts that cause connection problems. In this case, replace the socket or the fixture.

Short Circuit

A short circuit can cause the light fixture, and all other devices on the circuit, to go dark suddenly though the bulb is not burnt out. Short circuits occur when the electrical current flows outside the established wiring pathway. This causes resistance to lessen and vastly increases the flow of current through the circuit. This sudden increase in current flow causes the circuit breaker to trip (or the fuse to blow) and stops the flow of current. The light bulb (and everything else) suddenly goes dark.

This may mean the fixture or appliance cord may have a wiring problem, or the cord plug or light socket could be defective. Replace defective parts before resetting the breaker or replacing a fuse.

Bulbs Too Large for Light Fixture

A bulb's wattage may be too large for the fixture's rating, resulting in the light bulb burning out too quickly. This isn't a likely problem with CFL or LED bulbs, which operate at fairly low wattage, but it is a common problem with traditional incandescent bulbs. The wrong wattage creates excessive heat that reduces the bulb life and potentially melts the insulation on the fixture wiring.

Open the fixture's globe or cover and check to see the correct bulb wattage. Prevent problems using bulbs with wattage ratings that don't exceed the fixture's rating or changing to energy-efficient bulbs (such as LEDs) with much lower wattage ratings.

Insulation Around Recessed Lights

Recessed light fixtures (sometimes called "can lights") can overheat causing automatic shutoff or bulbs to flicker or burn out early. Overheated recessed lights can potentially lead to a fire. If your fixture is not rated "IC," it should not be covered with insulation. Some recessed light fixtures are designed to be covered with attic insulation. However, insulation on older designs must be held back by at least 3 inches to prevent the fixture from overheating.

Build a box (chase) around the fixture housing to allow for the appropriate space around the fixture. Or, install a new IC-rated fixture that will tolerate contact with insulation.

Wrong Type of Dimmer Switch

Using the wrong dimmer switch to operate the bulbs can cause damage and cause them to burn out early. Older dimmer switches were designed for use with standard incandescent bulbs only. If you use CFL or LED bulbs in the light fixture, the standard dimmer may impair the circuitry at the bottom of the bulb. Replace the old dimmer with one designed to work with CFL or LED bulbs to solve the problem.