So why would my lights continue to flicker or blink?
Do you have a problem with obnoxious flashing lights in your house or business? A light flicker in your house is familiar and may appear innocuous. However, if you’ve seen flickering occurring more frequently or regularly, it’s severe; it’s time to look into it.
Flickering lights are caused by a drop or fluctuations based on household voltage, which causes the lights to dim for a brief period. Sudden voltage fluctuations from low to high can harm devices and, in rare situations, result in an electrical fire. Recognizing several of the most prevalent concerns will assist you in determining what steps to take to resolve the issue.
The following are the most common causes of flickering or blinking lights:
- The lamp has a problem (not tight enough, lightbulbs are incompatible with your dimmers)
- Light socket with a slack connection
- A damaged switch or dimmer is to blame.
- When appliances or HVAC systems startup, they draw a lot of currents, resulting in a voltage drop.
- Or there could be a more serious electrical problem:
- On a circuit, there is a sensory overload.
- Electrical voltage fluctuations
- Wiring connections that are loose or outdated
- A problem with the electric utility service.
- There’s a problem with the meter box or the primary service cord.
Should you try to fix the flicker yourself or hire a professional?
Simple troubleshooting & repair may be practical to some extent. Whether a dimmer control is suspected, for example, suggest swapping an LED bulb with a typical incandescent light bulb and see whether the problem is resolved. If your problem falls into the larger electrical issue category, a professional electrician may be required to investigate it further.
Even if the flickering appears harmless, it could be a symptom of a more significant underlying problem with your electrical wiring, which could pose a risk of fire in your home. Ignoring an illumination or electrical issue is never a wise idea. If simple troubleshooting fails, don’t hesitate to contact a professional.
The Most Common Causes of Flickering Lights
- The rare light flicker could be caused by various issues, some of which aren’t life-threatening.
- The following are the top four minor issues that could lead them to act this way:
- There’s an issue with the lightbulb (e.g., wrong bulb type for the dimmer, loose socket connection)
- A light switch or fixtures switch that isn’t working correctly.
- The light plug & outlet have a loose connection.
Furthermore, whether you have any equipment that requires a lot of currents to start, the voltage drop can trigger your lights to flicker on and off for a short time.
If any of these problems are present, examining your lights can expose them. Sometimes all you need to do is screw the bulb together with a little tight or double-check that the lamp is firmly plugged into the wall outlet.
While these problems may be to blame in some instances, they are not common. Flickering lights are frequently a more serious indicator of a significant problem. Let’s look over five of the most important ones.
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1. An overloaded circuit
As previously said, rare flickering that occurs when a big device starts up is usually not a cause for concern. This can happen even in the best-designed electrical networks, where more oversized loads have dedicated circuits. However, it’s worth investigating if the shimmering is caused by:
- Consistent
- Severe
- Persistent
The problem would have been with the appliance rather than with your lighting in this situation. For example, if a bearing fails, the motor will have to work harder to pull additional current during startup. Another possibility is that a circuit is experiencing sensory overload.
It’s usually better to employ a skilled electrician to examine the circuit than to try to do it yourself.
2. Problems with Electric Utility Service
Your home most certainly combines a transformer with nearby residences, mainly if you live in a community. This signifies that your power source is connected to its corresponding loads.
Your lights may flicker if anyone down the main sidewalk uses a lot of electricity. If this isn’t the case or the lights at their residence are also flickering, the problem could be with your utility provider. An electrician can tell you when it’s time to call for service.
3. Electrical Voltage Fluctuation
Your home should measure between 115 and 125 volts on a standard 120-volt circuit. You can confirm that reading yourself if you have a voltmeter. Your bulbs may be flickering because the voltage is higher than 125 volts.
There are various reasons why your home’s voltage may be too high. Most of the time, the problem is technically complex and indicates major electrical system flaws. Unexpected dimming and repeated bulb burnouts are also symptoms of this problem.
Excessive voltage in your home might be a safety problem and cause an electrical emergency. As a result, it’s critical to contact an electrician right away to find out what is wrong.
4. Frayed or out-of-date wiring connections
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), wiring problems are responsible for 67 percent of residential fires associated with electrical distribution or lighting equipment.
Flickering lights can be caused by loose or obsolete wiring, which is inconvenient and potentially dangerous. Arcing is a phenomenon that occurs when a lamp, socket, or switch box has a loose connection. When an electrical current “jumps” over gaps in contact, it is said to be “jumping.”
Each arc can reach temperatures above 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, but they frequently cause electrical fires. If you haven’t made any adjustments or improvements to your power system but still get flickers, it’s possible that loose wiring will cause it.
5. The Most Important Connection Issues
You may notice that the lights in a few places of your home are flickering. Alternatively, you may notice it all over. If the latter is the case, contact an electrician immediately away.
If this behavior occurs randomly, there’s likely a more significant, underlying problem with your primary meter box connection. It’s also possible that the problem is with your services cable connection. In any case, it’s preferable to leave these elevated lines to a professional electrician.
Is flickering light harmful?
Flickering light can be quite irritating, especially when it is constant and intense. However, is it harmful to our health? The answer is not a straightforward one. While some experts claim that flickering lights can cause headaches, eye strain, and migraines, others argue that these symptoms are not directly caused by the flickering light but rather by the strain of constantly trying to adjust to the change in light intensity.
Regarding long-term effects, there is little scientific evidence to support the claim that flickering lights can cause serious health problems. However, exposure to intense and frequent flicker, such as that from a welding torch, can be hazardous to the eyes and cause serious vision problems.
Conclusion
After reading this article, it is concluded that light flickering causes severe problems for your devices. Light Flickering caused due to voltage fluctuation, circuit overloaded, and many other reasons for light Flickering. Old wiring is also a significant cause of light Flickering. To reduce the light, Flickering must analyze the old wiring or load and distribute the load equally.
