You can turn off the breaker for just that circuit.

That said, I usually tape off the switch and use a coated needlenose.

If anyone else is in the house I would turn off the breaker.

To be safe, turn off the circuit breaker. It's possible that the hot wire runs first to the light and then the switch is on the neutral. If so, the fixture would still be hot even with the switch off. Of ccourse, you can always just start in with the pliers and you'll either get it out no problem or trip the breaker. There's no need to turn off the entire house power, unless you can't figure out which circuit the light is on (which you should have written down . . . )

" It's possible that the hot wire runs first to the light and then the switch is on the neutral."

The only correct way to have your feed at the light is with the incoming hot wire marretted to a white wire (not neutral) that feeds the switch. Then the switch feeds back to the light using a black or red wire. The base of the lamp will never be hot until the switch is closed if wired correctly. If someone has wired a light as you describe then god be with them as I can just imagine what else they've done in their home with their wiring.

It's possible that the hot wire runs first to the light and then the switch is on the neutral

Unfortunately, that is true. I have seen far too many homes with switch circuits wired this way. Somehow they just can't grasp the "white to black" for the switch leg, but never question why they now have two blacks connecting to the light.

Turn off the breaker, use the needle nose pliers.

bigbird-I certainly didn't mean to suggest that it *should* be that way, just that it might. If a person talks about turning off the entire house power, I'm guessing they can't figure out which circuit it is, which is because of some non-standard wiring (or add ons). Once you're in that world, there's no telling what might be going on.

Thanks for your answers! Well, I did it successfully (and didn't even have to resort to the potato method). You convinced me to turn off the breaker, and I did. Sorry for such a beginner's question but part of the problem is I just moved into a house with an electric box full of breakers and only a couple of them marked. It is all trial and error. Eventually, I suppose, I'll have to spend a day trying to find out what breaker goes to which outlets. What a PITA.

I find that a cut whole Potato does a great job of being able to remove the sockets without the risk of geting cut!!

I recently had a real tough time removing a flood from a 4" recessed socket. Finally had to pull the whole housing to get a good enough grip on the blasted thing to unscrew it.

Isn't there some kind of lubricant available to apply to the threads to help prevent bulbs from binding in their sockets like this?

Gblentz, I think that is a very good question. IMO, the heat coupled with moisture causes the socket to corrode which can result in some difficulty in removing a flood. As an electrician. I always use gloves to remove floods from cans as I've had them shatter.

I know of no lubricant that wouldn't smoke or effect the contact. If the socket looks a little rusted, turn off the breaker and use a little steel wool to clean up the socket. Be sure to blow it out thoroughly.

There are silicone lubricants available. There are also other methods... rub your pencil across the threads to deposit some of the graphite... or, rub the threads of the bulb in your hair to deposit some natural oil. Unfortunately, some of us can only use the pencil method. :)

Yes silicone greese like sly-glide if conductive. so is anti-seize compund and both can handle up to 500 degree temps.

There are several commercial products available for greasing up bulbs. The most popular is Bulb Grease. Google it and you can locate local sources.

Use the base of a new bulb to get the old base out, just push the new bulb against the broken base and turn counterclockwise, slow and easy. You can do the same with a short section of wooden broomstick. Sometimes you need to knock off the glass part that holds the filament if it's still attached. I worked buiding maintenance for years, never failed to get one out, most of the time without bothering what position the switch was in, let alone the breaker.