Why Are My Lights Flickering? Here Are 5 Possible Causes
If you're dealing with the issue of flickering lights in your home or office, you're likely annoyed and a little nervous. While an occasional flicker is a normal occurrence, the frequent flickering of lights can indicate a bigger problem, such as faulty electrical systems.
According to statistics, electrical fires in households cause over $1.3 billion in property damage and nearly 500 deaths each year. It is thus important to immediately investigate the cause of blinking lights to keep your family and property safe. If you’re not sure how to fix it, you should immediately seek professional electrical services to help you make repairs in time.
The most common causes of flickering include fluctuations in total household voltage. However, there can be several other causes, some of which require emergency services. Here are some of the most common reasons why you could be experiencing flickering lights in your home or office:
Bulb Issues
Light bulbs can rattle in their sockets if they are not screwed in tightly. As a result, you may experience inconsistent connections and frequent light flickering. In other instances, bulbs can loosen up over time which results in a faulty connection with the socket. To fix this problem, you can tighten the light bulb or replace it altogether, if it turns out to be the wrong type for your socket.
In general, fluorescent bulbs are more likely to flicker than LED bulbs due to differences in warm-up cycles, temperature changes, and even the age of your bulbs.
If replacing the bulb does not stop its flickering issues, it is best to contact an electrician to investigate the problem.
An Overloaded Circuit
At times, flickering lights can be indicative of an overloaded circuit. When electrical appliances such as air conditioners and microwave ovens pull more electrical current than the circuit capacity, your lights may start to flicker, blink, or fall dim.
If you notice flickering only when other appliances are plugged in or turned on, there is not much reason for concern. However, if the flickering is consistent, there may be an issue with your other appliances. In this case, you may want to contact an electrical service provider to inspect and update your appliance and wiring.
Loose Wiring
Another common reason for blinking lights is loose wiring, which is also a leading cause of household fires. Typically, flickering starts to occur when your wires, breakers, and connectors are outdated. In loose outlet connections, the electric current immediately begins to jump over the gaps, increasing the chances of an electrical fire which can be severely hazardous.
Faulty connections on lamps and fixtures can also cause flickering. You can check for bad connections by wiggling the on/off switch to notice if the light begins to dim. If this is the case, you may need to replace the switch.
Voltage Fluctuation in Large Appliances
One other issue to watch out for is voltage fluctuation. While slight fluctuations are normal, a voltage reading above 125 volts is a cause for concern. If your voltage readings tend to remain above this limit, you may need professional help fixing your voltage problem.
Shared Transformers
If you share transformers with other homes or businesses, the flickering of your lights may just be a result of heavy electrical usage in your neighboring buildings. In any case, it would still be prudent to have such shared transformers checked, as they may already be posing serious threats to the entire block.
Book Professional Electrical Services Today!
If you are frustrated due to flickering lights in your home or office, it is best to get a professional to figure out the problem. At Tron Electrical and Automation, we can get to the bottom of the problem while providing a wide range of services for all your electrical needs.
Our experienced electrical technicians are readily available to fix all your electrical issues at a reasonable cost. Call us at 416 936 5669 or contact us online and tell us how we can help.