If you've been changing light bulbs more often than usual for months, the problem is probably not the bulb
There is a situation that many people have experienced: you buy a light bulb, you put it in, and a few months later it's already blown. You buy another one, and the same thing happens. You reach the conclusion that light bulbs nowadays are rubbish and you just keep changing them without a second thought. But almost always the problem is not with the bulb.
If your light bulbs last a lot less than they should, there are specific reasons behind it and most of them have a solution.
How long should an LED light bulb last?
First, a benchmark. A medium-quality LED bulb should last between 15,000 and 25,000 hours. In practice, with normal household use, that translates to several years. If it lasts you just a few months, something is going on.
Budget light bulbs may have a considerably shorter lifespan, but even so, they shouldn't burn out in a matter of months. If that's what's happening to you, it's worth investigating a bit further.
Mains voltage: a frequent cause that nobody suspects
One of the most common causes of light bulbs blowing quickly is that the electrical voltage of the installation is above normal. In Spain the standard voltage is 230 volts, but in some homes it arrives somewhat higher, and that difference, although it may seem small, considerably shortens the lifespan of the bulbs.
This is especially common in homes located near electrical substations or in areas where the grid is not well regulated. An electrician can easily measure this and, if that is the case, there are solutions to protect the installation.
Incompatible dimmer switches
If you have dimmer switches, those switches that let you turn the lights up and down, and the bulbs you use are not compatible with them, the lifespan of the bulbs is drastically reduced. Not all LEDs work well with all dimmers, and when there is an incompatibility, the bulbs can flicker, get hotter than normal and burn out long before their time.
The solution is simple: look for light bulbs that explicitly state on the box that they are compatible with dimmer switches, or change the dimmer for one designed for LEDs. At Iluminamos tu Vida we see this quite frequently and it is one of those problems that has a very simple solution once it is identified.
The heat accumulated in the light fitting
LED light bulbs generate less heat than halogen ones, but they still generate some. If they are installed in a closed fitting where the heat cannot dissipate, that accumulated heat shortens their lifespan significantly. This often happens with ceiling lights featuring closed glass shades or with recessed spotlights without sufficient ventilation.
If this is your case, there are two options: use LED light bulbs specifically designed for enclosed luminaires, which withstand heat better, or improve the ventilation of the light fitting.
When is the problem with the installation?
If light bulbs are blowing in various places around the house and with different brands, the problem is almost certainly not the bulb but the installation. It could be the high voltage we mentioned earlier, poor connections that generate current surges, or a consumer unit with protections that are not working properly.
In that case it is worth having an electrician check the installation. Continuing to change bulbs solves nothing if the root cause lies elsewhere. At Iluminamos tu Vida we carry out this type of diagnosis in Madrid. If you have had this problem for a while, give us a call and we can tell you how we can help.