My Home Theater Projector

The cost alone for a projector replacement bulb would be enough motivation for projector owners to look for ways to extend the life of their projector bulbs. Here is a list of tips that can help ensure that you are getting the most out of your projector’s lamp:
Take careful consideration when configuring your projector into your home theater or conference room setting. Ensure that there is plenty of space (typically two feet, but consult your owner’s manual for model-specific measurements) between the projector’s exhaust and intake fans and walls, ceilings, or enclosed compartments. Not following your projector’s guidelines will cause overheating to the unit which will cause lamp failure.

Do not unplug your projector until after the lamp has properly cooled. After switching your projector off, the fan may keep running for as long as five minutes in order to cool the bulb evenly and guards against bulb failure.

Avoid turning your projector unit on and off frequently during presentations. Turning the power on causes a surge of energy to the lamp, exciting the bulb’s filament. Doing this multiple times in a short period of time causes stress on the filament and will result in early failure of projector bulbs.

Avoid moving your projector unit until the lamp has properly cooled. Hot bulbs are extremely fragile and the vibration caused by movement can cause the lamp’s filament to break.

Always clean your projector’s intake and exhaust filters every 3 - 6 months, depending on how frequently it is used. Clogged filters do not vent heat properly, causing the projector to overheat leading to lamp failure and the need for a replacement bulb.

Utilize “low lamp” or “economy mode” functions whenever possible. These options allow the lamp to run at a lower brightness, thus extending lamp life.

Source: http://www.presentationmart.com/resources/extendprojectorlamplife.asp