Let’s be honest: We can’t live without light bulbs. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to use them when it comes to light bulb safety. To prevent a fire from being started by a light bulb in your home, our Delaware alarm company offers these light bulb safety tips:
Never use a light bulb that exceeds the recommended wattage for your light fixture. A lamp that calls for a 60 watt bulb cannot handle a 120 watt bulb; that’s twice the recommended wattage! It’s a major fire hazard. Stay within the lamp manufacturer’s recommended wattage limits.
Always screw in your light bulbs completely. Screwing in a light bulb too loosely may seem inconsequential, but it can be a big fire hazard if the bulb overheats – which loose bulbs have been known to do quite often.
Use common sense when it comes to leaving lamps on. Having your lamp on for a couple of hours as you watch television is fine; leaving it on all night while you sleep is not. An overheated bulb can catch fire very quickly, especially if it is a bulb that is near the end of its life.
If your lamp requires a specialty bulb, that is the bulb you should buy. For instance, if you have a heat lamp for a pet, you should purchase the special bulb that the lamp calls for. An ordinary household bulb may not be able to handle the wattage of the lamp, which could cause a fire if you are required to leave the heat lamp on all the time.
Sometimes, homeowners use their lights as a safety measure by leaving a lamp on while they will be gone overnight. However, the bulb could catch fire while it is left burning unattended for so long. Instead, we recommend investing in a system like Total Connect® from Honeywell. Using the Total Connect app, you can turn your lights on and off remotely from your smartphone. It’s a great security feature that’s fire prevention-friendly. For more information, contact our Delaware alarm company today!