Have you been dealing with lights flickering in the house? You may instantly associate this with paranormal activity, before ruling out other factors at play.
Lights flicker for many different reasons. In some cases, you may need to hire an electrician to solve the problem.
Finding out the root cause of your lights flickering can prevent possible dangerous issues that could arise with your electrical system.
So, if you’re wondering, “Why are the lights flickering?”, read on to learn 5 possible reasons.
- Lightbulb Too Loose
A loose lightbulb is a common cause of lights flickering. Thankfully, it’s also easily fixable.
Turn off your light first and wait for it to cool down. Then, turn it tighter into the socket before turning your light back on and see if this solves the problem.
- Overloaded Circuit
Sometimes, an overloaded circuit is to blame for flickering lights. This typically happens because the electrical system cannot handle the energy coming from other sources.
The best way to look out for this is to take note of when your lights begin to flicker. If turning on another appliance in your house causes the lights to flicker, you probably have an overloaded circuit.
If this happens, it’s important to call an electrician to prevent electrical fires or other emergencies.
- Wrong Type of Light Bulb
Do you have a dimmer switch? If so, your light bulb may not be compatible with your dimmer switch, thus causing it to flicker.
LED lights and fluorescent lights are often incompatible with dimmers, so make sure you look into the type of light bulb you have and purchase one that is compatible.
Likewise, a fluorescent light may also flicker after first being turned on, because it is warming up.
- Changing Voltage
Your voltage should always be between 115 to 125 volts. If you have ongoing light flickering problems, this could indicate an abnormal voltage number.
If you aren’t sure about this, be sure to check your voltage with a voltmeter.
If the number does not fall between the 115-125 range, call an electrician ASAP.
- Loose Wiring
Loose or faulty wiring is one of the top most dangerous reasons for lights flickering in your home. If you cannot get to the root issue of your light flickering problem, this issue should be ruled out immediately to prevent fires and other hazardous occurrences.
Signs to look out for are lights that flicker with buzzing noises, visibly frayed wires, smokey outlets, and a burning smell.
Loose wiring can very well lead to an electrical fire if it is not taken care of, so be sure to hire an electrician right away if you believe this is the case.
If you’re in the Tampa area and looking for excellent electrical services, check out sunelectrician.com.
Lights Flickering in the House
This guide covered the 5 possible reasons for lights flickering in the house. If none of these reasons seem to be the culprit, remember to seek out a professional electrician at your earliest convenience.
Prevent catastrophes in your home and get to the bottom of those flickering lights.
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