Why Lights Flicker and Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Them

If you have lights flickering within your home, this isn’t a problem that can be ignored. It’s important to find out why they’re flickering as it can be a serious safety concern.

Large Current Draw

A large appliance can pull 100 amps or more when it’s turn on. This large surge in power can cause your lights to flicker for a short period of time. You should have an electrician inspect your wiring to make sure your appliances aren’t overworking the circuits.

Dimmer Switches

Dimmer switches cause LED bulbs to flicker if the bulbs aren’t designed for them. Dimmers are made for higher electrical loads, which LED bulbs don’t require. Since LEDs are low voltage, they’ll flicker. When using dimmer switches, only buy LED bulbs that are designed to work with them.

Old Wiring

Older houses often have outdated wiring. While new homes have copper wiring that can last 50 years, older homes have aluminum wiring that can produce safety hazards. While the aluminum wiring isn’t the problem, the connections can be susceptible to overheating. This problem causes electrical overloads and affects your lights. It’s wise to have your wiring upgraded as soon as possible.

Loose Bulbs

A bulb that isn’t sufficiently fastened within its socket will rattle. Disturbances, even someone just walking by, can cause a bulb to flicker. To fix this, simply tighten the bulb—but not so much that it’s hard to remove.

Defective Bulb

A defective bulb can flicker no matter how tightly it’s screwed into its socket. LED bulbs are cheaper than traditional ones, so replacing one is an inexpensive thing to do.