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Good lighting is always important when doing repairs.

But some lighting can cause problems. Halogens, for instance, can get too hot, while smaller tungsten-filament trouble lights can be troublesome.

After they have been on for a while, the filament heats up and becomes fragile. Then, the slightest jolt can break the filament, causing the incandescent bulb to go out — even the so-called “rough-duty” bulbs.

To avoid this problem, I’ve replaced filament bulbs in all my trouble lights with compact-fluorescent screw-in bulbs, as shown in the accompanying drawing. After having dropped work lights and knocked them about, I can testify that compact-fluorescent bulbs can take some abuse — and still work.

The fluorescent bulbs cost a little more than tungsten-filament incandescent bulbs, but they provide plenty of light, use a quarter of the energy and last 10 times as long.

They also stay cool, which is helpful in situations where I’m working inside a cabinet or other tight spaces and the light is close to my face or hands.

— Pete Duffy, Mundelein, Ill.

Tips & Techniques provided by Fine Homebuilding.
©2009 The Taunton Press

To contact Fine Homebuilding, e-mail Christina Glennon.

Get NAHB BuilderBooks 2010 Virtual Publications Catalog Online

The NAHB 2010 Publications Catalog from NAHB BuilderBooks is available online.

Presented in a virtual format as part of the NAHB BuilderBooks effort to go green and streamline delivery, the catalog includes publications and products to help building industry professionals ramp up for a successful year as the industry and the economy begin to recover.

The materials in the catalog, written by industry leaders in various fields of residential construction, feature publications and products about accounting, estimating, business management, green building, sales and marketing, safety, construction codes, 50+ housing, multifamily housing, construction management remodeling and more.

Some of the newest publications in the catalog include “Social Media for Home Builders,” the “National Green Building Standard Commentary” and “Paper Trail: Systems and Forms for a Well-Run Remodeling Company, Second Edition.”

To view the virtual catalog, click here.