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🍁 Built for Canadian homes — written to the Canadian Electrical Code and provincial rules. Not intended for use outside Canada.
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Light bulbs keep burning out quickly

Annoying, and it feels ominous — but most of the time it's the wrong bulb for the fixture or a little vibration, both cheap and safe to sort out.

tuneWhat are you noticing?
Select anything that matches and the checklist below reorders to fit. Not sure? Skip it.
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Start here

In Canada, start with the bulb itself. Check the wattage printed on the fixture (or its label) and make sure the bulb is at or below it; if the light is on a dimmer, use a bulb marked "dimmable"; and in an enclosed or damp/outdoor fixture, use one rated "enclosed" or "damp/wet location". A free look that solves this more often than anything else.

Ranked from real-world failure data. The order updates as you select what you’re noticing above.

Likely causes, in the order to check them

Showing the typical order
Beginner-friendly Doable, with care Safety-critical Call a pro

handymanHow to fix it

Read the fixture's maximum wattage and location rating, then fit a bulb that matches: at or below that wattage, marked "dimmable" if it's on a dimmer, and rated "enclosed" or "damp/wet" for an enclosed or outdoor fixture. An LED of the right kind runs cooler and lasts far longer.

  1. Find the fixture's maximum wattage (printed on the fixture or inside the shade) and note whether it's on a dimmer or in an enclosed/damp/outdoor spot.
  2. Pick a bulb at or below that wattage. On a dimmer, buy one labelled "dimmable"; in an enclosed or damp fixture, one labelled "enclosed-rated" or "damp/wet location".
  3. A well-matched LED runs cool and lasts years — a simple swap that usually ends the burnouts. If a matched bulb still fails fast at that one fixture, move on to checking the socket or wiring.
schedule10 min savings$3–20
gavel Check your province first AB: homeowner may do this · BC: homeowner may do this · ON: homeowner may do this · PE: homeowner may do this · QC: homeowner may do this
Choosing and installing the correct bulb for a fixture is routine homeowner maintenance in every province.

visibilityHow to check

report Power off before you touch the socketA light socket sits on live wiring. Before you put a finger near it, switch the light off AND turn off its breaker — the wall switch alone can leave the socket live. If the socket is scorched or the wiring behind it looks heat-damaged, don't re-use it; that's an electrician's repair, not a re-seat.
  1. Turn the light off at the switch and switch off its breaker at the panel, then let a hot bulb cool before touching it.
  2. Remove the bulb and look inside the socket: the little brass centre tab should be raised and clean. Flattened, blackened, corroded, or scorched contacts point to a worn socket.
  3. If the tab is just flattened and the socket is otherwise clean, gently lift it with the power still off; re-seat a fresh bulb snugly. If the socket is corroded or scorched, it needs replacing — hand it to an electrician if fixture wiring isn't your comfort zone.
buildNo tools schedule10 min

handymanHow to fix it

With the breaker off and confirmed dead, unwire the worn socket, fit a matching replacement (matching the fixture type and any wire connectors), and confirm it grips the bulb firmly before restoring power.

  1. Switch off the breaker for the light, then use a non-contact voltage tester at the fixture to confirm the wires are dead before you open anything.
  2. Note how the old socket is wired (which lead goes to which wire), then release it and disconnect the two leads.
  3. Wire in a matching replacement socket the same way, tuck the wires back neatly, and reassemble.
  4. Restore power, fit a correctly rated bulb, and confirm it seats snugly with no wobble. If the fixture's own wiring looked heat-damaged, stop and call an electrician instead.
schedule40 min savings$5–15
Replacement lamp socketMatch the socket type (medium/E26 vs candelabra/E12) and the fixture's mounting to the original
gavel Check your province first AB: homeowner may do this · BC: homeowner may do this · ON: permit + inspection required · PE: homeowner may do this · QC: licensed professionals only
Most provinces allow a homeowner to replace a like-for-like lamp socket in their own dwelling; a service-voltage or neutral fault is always licensed electrician work regardless of province.

verifiedWhy this one goes to a pro

A wiring connection that overheats every time the light is on is exactly the kind of fault that starts fires inside walls and ceilings. In Canada, opening and repairing fixture wiring is electrician work; don't keep running a fixture whose socket or bulb base is scorching. A licensed electrician can find and fix the loose connection quickly.

Your notes travel with the request — what you saw, what you ruled out, when it started — so the pro arrives with a head start instead of a mystery.

verifiedWhy this one goes to a pro

Bulbs cooking at many fixtures at once can mean the incoming service voltage is high or a neutral connection is loose — measured at the panel and service, on live conductors. Under the Canadian Electrical Code this is licensed electrician work. It's also worth doing promptly: a loose neutral can damage electronics, not just bulbs.

Your notes travel with the request — what you saw, what you ruled out, when it started — so the pro arrives with a head start instead of a mystery.

sort

Why the list is in this order

We don’t sort by likelihood alone. We sort the way a good, honest tradesperson thinks: rule out the free, safe, common causes first. That’s why the cheap checks outrank the expensive repairs — and why anything dangerous gets a hard stop instead of a pep talk. The order exists to save you money, not to sell you anything.