Why are your lights flickering? There are steps you can take to locate the problem.
If a light starts flickering in your home, this can quickly become aggravating. While flickering lights are not immediately dangerous, they are annoying and distracting to those who rely on the light and if left alone may lead to more serious issues. If you notice lights flickering and want to know what you can do about it, read on for the common and slightly less common solutions to your problem.
Two Common Causes of Flickering Lights
If you notice lights flickering, this may be an indication the light bulb is about to burn out. In this instance, you may want to replace the light bulbs to see if that fixes the problem. You may also try to screw the current light bulb in a bit tighter, as sometimes a loose bulb can flicker too. Of course, you should always have the fixture turned off before handling the light bulbs. However, this problem of old or loose bulbs often only applies to fixtures with incandescent bulbs. If you have LED bulbs that are flickering, you may have to look further.
Loose Wires or Electrical Connections
This reason for flickering lights may be due to electrical work done by someone who failed to connect or secure all wires properly. If this is the case, contact a reliable licensed electrician at TriStar Electric to investigate your electrical connections. Our expertise can ensure that an electrical fire does not occur.
Faulty Light Fixtures
Light fixtures that are old, broken, rusty, or otherwise damaged may cause flickering lights. To test this, you may remove the bulb and replace it with one that you know works. If the flickering then continues, the problem may be your light fixture. You may then begin to install a new light fixture. However, if the flickering continues with the new fixture, it’s time to work with an electrician to discover the deeper problem.
Incompatibility with LED Bulbs
Some lights, especially in ceiling fans, may not operate properly when using LED light bulbs. If you are using LED bulbs and the lights are flickering, try changing back to an incandescent bulb. However, sometimes the light switch itself does not agree with LED bulbs. This is often the case when the light switch has a dimmer controller.
A Circuit Overload
Occasionally, lights may flicker because an electrical circuit is running too many amps. For instance, if your kitchen lights dim when you use your toaster, that toaster may be too powerful for the circuit.
To verify that this is the cause of your lights flickering, plug in another appliance that runs on a similar number of amps. If the same thing happens, it may be a circuit overload. In this case, call a licensed electrician for help.
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