If you’ve been looking for a no-nonsense guide to replacing a light bulb, you’ve just struck gold! These guidelines are for you if you need to change your light bulb out.
We’ve established, for starters, that there seems to be something off with the light bulb. Flicking the switch on/off does not yield expected results.
To rectify the above problem, we may need:
- New light bulb 💡
- A ladder 🪜
- A pair of gloves 🧤
- A broom & dustpan 🧹
- Cloth / paper 📰
We'll be taking you through the process step by step. We also highly recommend taking utmost safety precautions while undertaking this task.
Light bulb flowchart (credits: Nimish Bongale)
First, check if the light bulb burned out or if it was something else. You could start by flipping the light switch on and off, and if it turns on after all, then you’ll be done. Second, you should also check the circuit breaker. You need to find the panel in your house, apartment, garage, etc., most commonly found right by the front door. Check that all the switches inside are all good. If there are switches that are on the wrong side, maybe that’s why the light won’t turn on. Before turning them on again, ensure that there isn’t a short circuit anywhere.
If you checked everything out, and the light bulb still doesn’t seem to work, then you need to replace it as the old one burned out. This happens pretty often with incandescent light bulbs, but it’s rare with modern-day LED technology.
Turn off the light switch for the light bulb that you are planning to change. It could be hard to tell if it’s on or off since it’s not working as expected. Set everything up for changing the light bulb – ladder, gloves, and any tools to clean up in an unfortunate scenario of a mess. You will also need to ensure you can reach the light bulb. Make sure you have the new one and that you can put it down somewhere safe. The old one will need to be put down somewhere safe as well.
Now put the new light bulb where you will reach it and unscrew the old light bulb. You may need a ladder if it’s high up. Put down the old light bulb, and screw in the new light bulb. Make your way to the switch and turn it on to check if the new light bulb works.
If the light bulb glows as expected, then you have successfully replaced the old light bulb with a new one!
Remember to throw out the old one, maybe wrap it in something. It might shatter, and broken glass pieces have hurt people before. If you get it recycled, it’s even better.
We learned how easy it is to replace a light bulb. This procedure can also be tweaked as per requirement. We genuinely hope this page helped you, and you're well equipped to change light bulbs in the future!