The days are growing shorter and with more darkness comes the need for more lights, both inside and outside your home.  You will probably notice a burned out light bulb much faster inside your home than one in an outside fixture especially as we are all spending less time outside in the evenings.  Before it gets too cold, take a walk around the outside of your home at dusk or dawn when all the exterior lights are visible and take note of any bulbs that need to be replaced.  Burned out bulbs are not just bad for curb appeal but could also be a safety issue.

Sometimes broken bulbs are not replaced because they are overlooked or can’t be easily reached but sometimes it just seems like a hassle to figure out what type of bulb you actually need so you never replace a bad bulb!  Newer more efficient or designer light fixtures and the types of replacement bulbs have become quite specialized.  Gone are the days of simply keeping a box of 60-watt bulbs on hand that were universal for most light fixtures!  

If you’ve been to the light bulb section of a home improvement store or shopped online you know there is a wide variety of bulbs now available.  Incandescent, LED, fluorescent, halogen and smart bulbs are just a few types available for purchase.  There are also a variety of base sizes, colors or “temperatures”, dimmable and 3-way options within each category. 

The best option when choosing a new fixture is to read the fixture’s description carefully before purchase.  Some fixtures now have integrated LED bulbs that are hard-wired and can’t be replaced or at least not easily, which means you can’t just change the color of light or increase or decrease the wattage if your needs change.

If you need to replace the bulb in a current fixture, take the current bulb with you if possible and compare shape, base size, wattage and other information such as the K-value on the bulb to make sure you get a match.  Bulbs labeled as “soft white” tend to be more yellow in color and “daylight” tends to mean it is bright white.  We’ve all probably had the experience of purchasing a replacement bulb only to install it and realize the color of light doesn’t match that of other fixtures in the same area.  Many home improvement stores now have displays where you can test different bulb options to be sure you select the correct bulb, minimizing the chance you have to return it.  So, as the season changes make sure your lights are ready to shine!