How to get incandescent bulb unscrewed

[lbperry]

I've got a standard screw-in light fixture with a 100W bulb up close to the peak of my garage attic where I'm sure it gets blazing hot in the summer.
The bulb burned out an when I tried to unscrew it wouldn't budge. I got a leather glove and used all the pressure I dared without breaking the bulb.
In the past I've broken the bulb off the base and pressed a big straight blade screwdriver into the base until I get enough traction to unscrew it. There's got to be a better way. Any of you guys got a better way of doing this? I'd appreciate hearing about it.
I plan to go back with an LED bulb to reduce the heat on the socket. And is there anything I can put on the threads to prevent this happening? Like maybe tune-up grease?
Thanks for any input,

 

[LXCam]

CRC 2-26 spray lube is perfect for that. I treat all my exterior bulb bases every time I change them. As far as getting a busted base off they make a tool for it but I just use my needle nose and peel it away until it comes free.

 

[Dagny]

Yeah open the nn pliers a little stick em in there then put some outward pressure and turn.

 

[Terry D]

Yep. if it wont come out, break it and use needle nose

 

[larry4406]

Yep. if it wont come out, break it and use needle nose

Obviously power off first please…

We have some pendant lights in our kitchen which seem to eat bulbs. Seems every 4 months or so a bulb craps, glass breaks, and then it’s the needle nose plier technique. When kitchen remodel commences I want to **** can them.

 

[cybrdyke]

they make bulb socket grease.

CD

 

[lbperry]

OK, I’ll go with the needle nose pliers. It’s so lock in I’ll probably have to peel the base out. And it’s hot as blazes up there.
Thanks for all the replies

 

[sparky 1971]

Bulb ez. There are other brands, It's all the same stuff. The box stores have one kind or another. I second, or third the needle nose pliers. Sometimes they work great, other times its a real *****.

 

[nadogail]

When i maintained 15 buildings for a bank, I had a broken bulb remover on my service truck; it fit on a pole and had teeth that would engage the base shell in the socket.
That job ended with the Savings and Loan Crisis.

 

[ambenz]

They say, use a potato and jam it into the broken light bulb base....

 

[Solpainter]

I replaced all my outside builder grade bulbs with LEDs a few years ago. Total of 16 bulbs. A few broke as the threads were corroded. I bent the metal base over a little with a screwdriver and used needle nose pliers to turn. I used a thin coat of automotive dI-electric grease on the threads on the new bulbs. I do have some fixtures that I remove the bulbs once a year to clean the glass and bulbs of dirt. All have been easy to remove. I do re-grease them.

 

[Terry D]

Obviously power off first please…

We have some pendant lights in our kitchen which seem to eat bulbs. Seems every 4 months or so a bulb craps, glass breaks, and then it’s the needle nose plier technique. When kitchen remodel commences I want to **** can them.

You have to leave the power on. Its like playing the game " operation" its the adult version. Lol

 

[rburke65]

A little spray lube and needle nose pliers

 

[couch67]

They say, use a potato and jam it into the broken light bulb base....

That MUST be a Family Handyman article!

 

[HalfTonTom]

How many ____s does it take to unscrew a lightbulb? One to hold the bulb and two to turn the ladder.

I darn near fell off my dinosaur the first time I heard that one...

 

[RPH]

You have to leave the power on. Its like playing the game " operation" its the adult version. Lol

The good ones know only to turn the bulb base during the zero cross over. It’s like grabbing the electric fence, if you know how you can get away with it. Shocks hurt, falling from height hurts too.

 

[Syberia]

Hot as blazes up there

LED

You might be disappointed. LEDs do not like heat and might have a shorter life than the incandescent.

 

[Solpainter]

There are LEDs for enclosed fixtures. I have many of them installed for years with no failures.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Out of curiosity, is the fixture, bulb holder, a good porcelain one or cheap plastic one ?

This may be part of your issue. I had problems with a couple of plastic bulb holders.