LESLIE: Andy in Colorado’s got a tricky problem with your light bulbs. What’s going on?
ANDY: I’ve got a couple of outdoor bulbs on the front of my house. They routinely go out; more so than anywhere else in the house.
LESLIE: Are they situated right next to your front door?
ANDY: Yeah, one at the front door and one out by the garage.
TOM: Yeah, and are these … are these doors that you use constantly; the garage door and the front door?
ANDY: Garage door, not so routinely. We don’t park in the garage so it doesn’t go up and down a couple times a day or anything like that. And then the other one’s just a front door.
TOM: Alright. There is a special type of light bulb that’s designed for these areas. Because, sometimes, light bulbs that are near anything that gives some vibration – like doors moving up and down – tend to burn out more quickly. What you want is called a rough service bulb.
ANDY: Hmm.
TOM: And it actually has a thicker filament.
TOM: Really? Rough service, huh?
TOM: Rough service. You can find them at electrical supply stores. I don’t think you’ll find them at the average hardware store or home improvement retailer. But you will find them at an electrical supply store; the kind that electricians go to buy all their parts.
ANDY: Oh. Good deal.
LESLIE: I mean because think about how delicate those light bulbs are. It’s so easy to break the filament. So think about all that rattling you’re doing by slamming that door and shutting the garage door.
ANDY: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it makes sense.
TOM: Alright, Andy. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
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