Household Hints & Help

The new bulbs may not be making good contact with the metal tab at the base of the socket. It builds heat up over time from poor connection to the bulb, thus shortening it's life. With the power off, get a flashlight and check the socket to see if the metal has any carbon buildup or corrosion. If it's not burned too bad you can clean it off with the tip of a flat-head screwdriver. If it's badly burned, the entire socket may need to be replaced. You can buy the sockets by themselves at the hardware store and change it yourself. Make sure to take the old one to get a good match. The assembly is pretty straight forward. If it's not badly burned, clean it and with the tip of the screwdriver pry it out just a tiny bit so it'll have better connection to the next bulb. Be careful of the pressure you exert on the metal tab. It's a bit thin, fragile and easy to break if you pry it too far. The problem may be worse but It's a good place to start.

Please be careful. I hope this helps.