Are flickering lights anything to worry about?
It’s one of those occasional annoyances in the home that many owners will tend to ignore. But is that the smart thing to do? The simple answer is, no.
A flickering light can be the result of a voltage fluctuation from your local transformer that’s outside of your control and isn’t something that should be of concern. It might also be the result of a light bulb somehow working itself loose, or not connecting properly.
However, there are worst-case scenarios, especially if you’re seeing lights flickering in more than one room.
Loose connections and other wiring problems can cause what is known as “arcing”, and that’s a fire risk.
Essentially, what happens is that electricity – which is always in motion – can jump between loose connections. In this situation, you face a serious risk of a shock or electrocution, or the electricity might ignite nearby flammable material.
If you are in doubt or troubled by flickering lights, you should call a licensed electrician.
Please do not try to fix the problem yourself if you’re required to do any more than change a light bulb. Even when you do this, it’s advisable to disconnect the light from its power source.
Signs that you have a serious problem include multiple lights in multiple rooms flickering, a buzzing, humming or even a sizzling sound from outlets, and frequent trips of the circuit-breaker.
If you own an older home, you should call an electrician to get an assessment. Where wiring for houses and apartments are more than 20 years old, it’s common to have loose service conductors, an issue with your electrical panel or a general voltage problem.
Here are some common reasons for causing lights to flicker:
Dimmer switch – Perhaps this is the most common cause of flickering lights. Dimmers and LED lights are not designed to work with each other, and that causes the lights to flicker.
Loose bulb – The bulb might not be screwed in tightly enough, causing intermittent contact with the socket.
Dusty sockets – An accumulation of dust or dirt can interfere with the electrical connection.
Large appliances – A fluctuation in voltage supply may occur when you turn on a large appliance, like an air-conditioner or washing machine. These appliances draw a lot of power to get started, depriving other electrics of voltage.
Old wiring – It is common for homes of more than 20 years to have electrical challenges, especially relating to the panel. If you re-wire your home before selling, buyers will definitely see this as a significant benefit.
Utility issues: You can get caught in a “ripple effect” if your supplier has an issue that causes brief drops in energy supply. This would likely affect multiple homes in an area.