You have multiple light fixtures around your home. While you currently have light bulbs in all of them, there will be a time when those light bulbs will need to be replaced. And in the future, you may choose to replace a light fixture or two. If you decide to do that, you will be looking at placing light bulbs into those fixtures for the first time.
It can be fairly tricky to determine which bulb is perfect for each one of your light fixtures. However, there are a few things you can do to ensure you are using the proper bulb for each light fixture inside your home.
4 Steps You Must Take to Find the Proper Bulb for Your Light Fixture
1 Remove the Old Bulb
If your light fixture already has a light bulb in it, you can easily remove it to see what bulb it takes. This may be enough to determine which bulb you need, but since there are so many new types of light bulbs available, we recommend following the remaining steps. This way you can choose to install one of the newer light bulbs, like LED, if possible. Plus, you never know when a light bulb that wasn’t the right one was installed in a fixture!
2 Determine the Base Size
Determining the base size of the light bulb you need is as easy as measuring the opening for the bulb with a quarter, dime, and penny. Standard bulbs have a base that is the exact size of a quarter. If you have an opening that matches the size of a dime, you will need to purchase an intermediate light bulb.
A bulb that is the size of a penny is a candelabra bulb. These are some of the smaller bulbs on the market. However, you will also see openings that have pins, twist locks, and even plugs. There are hundreds of different bulbs that fit into these openings, so you will either need the light fixture instructions to know which bulb you will need or the help of an electrician.
3 Determine the Maximum Wattage
Most of the time, you can look at the fixture to see what the maximum wattage is. However, there are times when you might need the manual. If you are unsure of what the maximum wattage is, it is always recommended to use the lowest wattage possible.
Anytime you install a light bulb with a higher maximum wattage than required, you are taking a chance that an electrical fire will start. You may even simply destroy the light fixture over time, even if a fire doesn’t start.
4 Determine the Correct Voltage
Every light fixture has maximum voltage information, and you can usually find it next to the maximum wattage. Indoor light fixtures are normally 120-volts, while outdoor lights are either 12 or 24 volts. There are many indoor lights though that utilize lower volts, so make sure you check for every light fixture you own.
4 Determine the Correct Voltage
Every light fixture has maximum voltage information, and you can usually find it next to the maximum wattage. Indoor light fixtures are normally 120-volts, while outdoor lights are either 12 or 24 volts. There are many indoor lights though that utilize lower volts, so make sure you check for every light fixture you own.
Now that you know all the important information for using the proper bulb for your light fixture, it will be time to purchase a bulb that matches those requirements. The options are almost limitless with LED, CFL, halogen, and incandescent being the more popular choices. We recommend choosing the light bulbs that matches your needs, as long as it meets all the guidelines you determined from above.
