How Do I Fix My Lava Lamp When the Lava Doesn't Flow?

Lava lamps add a fun touch to your decor. They're perfect for everything from decorative bedroom lighting in a kid's room to a colorful addition to your game room. But a lava lamp loses its appeal quickly if it stops flowing. Doing a little troubleshooting can help you figure out why your lamp is lacking the lava effect.

If you're setting up a brand-new lava lamp, you'll need to be patient to get that mesmerizing lava flow action. The first time you use it, the lamp typically takes several hours to heat the wax completely — usually between two and six hours, but the time can vary by brand.

It might start out looking like towers or branches of lava instead of flowing bubbles. This can happen every time you turn it on. However, the time it takes to heat up fully and start flowing usually decreases after you use it several times.

Choosing the right location for your lava lamp is about more than aesthetics. If the spot is chilly, it can prevent the lamp from heating up properly, which keeps the lava from flowing. Look for items that can cause drafts or colder air, such as open windows, fans, drafty windows in the winter, and air conditioners. Move your lava lamp away from these areas if that's the issue.

Lava lamps that stay on for too long can overheat and create one large bubble that doesn't move from the top. This often happens if you leave it running for longer than six hours, or as recommended by the manufacturer, or if you put it near another heat source, such as a space heater or heat vent. If you suspect this is the problem:

1. Shut off the lava lamp and let it cool down completely.
2. When you start it again, make sure it's not near other heat sources.
3. Only leave the lava lamp on for a few hours at a time or as recommended by the manufacturer to avoid the problem in the future.

Lava lamps usually have a metal coil in the bottom that helps heat the lava. If the coil is missing or gets dislodged, it can affect how well the lava melts and flows. Check the bottom of the lava lamp to see if the coil is in place.

If the coil is in a different spot, use a potholder or towel to pick up the lamp carefully without burning your hand and swirl or tip it slightly to ease the coil back down to the bottom. You'll need to do this while the lava is melted so the coil can move back into position. Avoid shaking the lava lamp, which can make the lamp cloudy or break apart the lava.

Your retro room accessory will eventually need a new bulb. Choosing the right bulb type is essential to keeping the lamp working correctly. It needs to have the correct wattage based on the specifications of your lava lamp, which can vary by brand and the size of the lava lamp. Reference the instructions or the bulb that comes with the lamp to make sure you use the correct replacement bulb.