Bigpineguy Retired
10-23-2011, 07:32 AM
How To Remove A Broken Bulb http://handymantricks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/brokenlightbulb-300x195.jpg
First off, let me say that I’m not an electrician and I haven’t even played one on TV. But I have removed many broken bulbs in my own house as well as others over the years. This is just another in a series of home repair tips I’ll share with my good readers!
Before performing any type of work or maintenance on electrical circuits, make sure all power to that circuit is shut off. Never assume that a breaker or fuse is the correct one just because it’s labeled as such. I’ve seen way too many circuits mislabeled!
Now when I say remove a broken bulb from a socket, I mean the good ole incandescent bulbs. I have never tried this on the newer fluorescent or compact fluorescent bulbs. If you read up on them, you basically need a hazmat team to come in and remove these toxic pieces of junk! But hey, we’re saving earth (debatable) even if we’re killing ourselves and our families!
There are several ways to remove broken bulbs, I’ll share with you several of the ways I’ve used over the years.
My favorite way is to wad up some newspaper and stick it into the broken socket. Make sure you have heavy (preferably leather) gloves and eye protection. Once you have the newspaper wadded up and stuck in the socket, turn the newspaper counterclockwise.
The newspaper will grip the broken glass and give you the leverage you need to unscrew the broken light bulb socket.
Another way I’ve done this is to use a Potato cut in half. Simply stick the potato into the socket and turn counterclockwise.
Finally, you can use your favorite pair of needle nosed pliers if you’d like. Simply insert them into the broken socket, and open them up so the back of the pliers contact the inside of the broken bulb. Then simply turn counterclockwise and remove the broken light bulb socket.
First off, let me say that I’m not an electrician and I haven’t even played one on TV. But I have removed many broken bulbs in my own house as well as others over the years. This is just another in a series of home repair tips I’ll share with my good readers!
Before performing any type of work or maintenance on electrical circuits, make sure all power to that circuit is shut off. Never assume that a breaker or fuse is the correct one just because it’s labeled as such. I’ve seen way too many circuits mislabeled!
Now when I say remove a broken bulb from a socket, I mean the good ole incandescent bulbs. I have never tried this on the newer fluorescent or compact fluorescent bulbs. If you read up on them, you basically need a hazmat team to come in and remove these toxic pieces of junk! But hey, we’re saving earth (debatable) even if we’re killing ourselves and our families!
There are several ways to remove broken bulbs, I’ll share with you several of the ways I’ve used over the years.
My favorite way is to wad up some newspaper and stick it into the broken socket. Make sure you have heavy (preferably leather) gloves and eye protection. Once you have the newspaper wadded up and stuck in the socket, turn the newspaper counterclockwise.
The newspaper will grip the broken glass and give you the leverage you need to unscrew the broken light bulb socket.
Another way I’ve done this is to use a Potato cut in half. Simply stick the potato into the socket and turn counterclockwise.
Finally, you can use your favorite pair of needle nosed pliers if you’d like. Simply insert them into the broken socket, and open them up so the back of the pliers contact the inside of the broken bulb. Then simply turn counterclockwise and remove the broken light bulb socket.