Do you hate the scary atmosphere created by flickering lights? Well, many may find this situation a little bit comedic, but it can cause accidents that can hurt dearly in certain instances. The people who have a similar situation in your office or home will understand how irritating this problem is. There can be lots of reasons for the flickering of these lights that range from a very simple problem to a very complicated issue.
Few Reasons Why Lights Bulb Flicker
Some can be resolved on your own, but the others need the help of an electrician. In this post, we are going to tell the readers about specific ways to fix the flickering light in detail. If you want to know what they are, then we suggest reading the whole post and gain this valuable information. Let’s begin this knowledgeable post now!
1. Loose bulb
It is one of the most common reasons that cause the flickering of lights on which we usually don’t put too much attention. In this case, you should switch off the power and put up a glove on your hand for having the ideal protection from heat. After that, you should tighten the loosen bulb that will result in creating a proper connection with the socket.
There is an intermittent flickering caused when you have a loose bulb. You will be amazed to know many people go straight to wiring and don’t check this simple thing. However, you shouldn’t one of them and look at the connections first.
2. Changing incompatible switches
After a connection in the socket, you have to check out the wall switch as the problem may lie there. There are many instances where an incompatible dimmer switch causes flickering in bulbs. It might be the cause of light flickering if they are connected to the dimmer.
The wiring behind this switch can be either loose or have poor quality. Also, ensure that there is compatibility between the ratings of bulbs and dimmer. If they don’t match with each other, then it can result in flickering or buzzing. You can think about installing a new dimmer if the problem continues even after correcting the wiring. Also, please turn off the power before turning off the power.
3. Inadequate Current
Don’t get confused about the inadequate lighting with the large current draw as the later one only cause dimming. Here, we are talking about insufficient current to your home or office. If you see dimming in the light once you switch off a particular appliance like an air conditioner, then it is pretty apparent that there is an overload in the electric circuit.
The main reason this issue arises is when all the high voltage appliances are keeping in the same circuit. Nowadays, it is strongly suggested to create a different dedicated circuit for every high demand appliance. The majority of older homes have the same circuit for serving standard outlets and fixtures. This issue can be solved by replacing high volt incandescent bulbs with the low-wattage LED ones if you have any. Also, you can think about using a different circuit for lights by adding a new one with the help of an electrician.
4. Worn Out Electrical Wires
This type of issue is quite common in the properties that are constructed a decade ago. A greater number of them have a solid conductor aluminum wiring that worn out over time for sure. The mechanical disturbance in these wires causes the lights to flicker that might irritate you.
These wires often overheat due to deterioration after some years. If you feel that flickering is due to this problem, then it is better to seek the help of a professional. Apart from flickering, it can cause a fire in the wires, and that’s why you should consult an electrician as soon as possible.
5. Type of Bulbs
There is a great chance that many of our readers might not be aware of the fact that LED bulbs have a lower chance of fluorescent lights when compared with a fluorescent one. The causes due to which the fluorescent models are more likely to have this issue are temperature, bulb age, and warm-up cycles.
If you have to deal with just minor flickering, then there is nothing too serious to consider. However, this situation started to happen more commonly; it is ideal for replacing them with LED bulbs.
When should you call an electrician for flickering lights issue?
You shouldn’t call an electrician when the situations can be easily handled. However, we all have limited abilities that can’t match a real professional. If you have to deal with the following conditions, then it is better to consult an electrician:
- Your home is facing flickering of multiple lights as the reason behind that is a circuit issue. Only a professional electrician can identify which conductor is causing trouble in the circuit.
Also, checking a loose connection without professional knowledge can be dangerous. It is better that you consult an experienced person who can do this job with ease.
- The lights begin to flicker once you switch on a large appliance. It doesn’t have the same dangerous consequences as the wiring one, but it can cause a consistent flickering that is annoying for sure. Consult with an electrician to understand the concept of amps.
- They know the way for maximizing the capacity of the circuit. Apart from that, a professional can also look out the wire size and fusing for ensuring that wires are working correctly.
Conclusion
We are assured that our readers now understand why the lights are flickering in your home or office. If you are unable to solve this issue on your own, you should hire an electrician as they are professionals who have proper experience in dealing with such situations. Do you still have a query in mind that wants to get answered, please write about it in the comment section? Our team members are available to solve the problems of readers all the time.