Flickering Lights at Home? Here are 8 Possible Reasons

When the lights in your home begin flickering, it can seem like a scene straight out of a horror movie. However, such episodes of flickering usually have more rational explanations. It may indicate serious electrical issues that may cause electrocution and even fire breakouts. For this reason, flickering lights around your home must never be ignored. The right thing to do in such a situation is to get in touch with electrical maintenance experts in Newnan. 


Possible reasons for flickering lights


The reasons behind flickering lights can be anything from minor issues like loose bulbs to major problems such as an overloaded circuit. Electrical maintenance specialists in Newnan can help diagnose the issue and get it fixed. 


Now here is a quick look at eight reasons for lights flickering in your home. 


1) Loose plug connection 


If a plug does not fit snugly in the outlet or if the prongs on your plug appear bent, flickering may occur. Remove plugs and straighten the prongs before reinserting to get a tight fit. 


2) Loose bulbs

Sometimes, you may notice the flickering of a single bulb, especially when you switch on a large appliance. This is usually because the bulb is loose in its socket and is not receiving a steady power supply. Simply turn off the bulb and screw it in tightly to fix this issue. 


3) Loose wiring


Wiring issues account for almost 70 percent of fire outbreaks in homes. So this is one issue you cannot afford to take lightly. Old wiring and loose wiring are equally dangerous problems. Your electrician can help replace the wiring.

Electrical maintenance in Newnan | Loose Bulb

4) Circuit overload 


If flickering of lights is consistently evident when you switch on a large appliance, probably the circuit is being overloaded. This is not an issue that can be fixed on your own. Hire an experienced electrical maintenance professional in Newnan to take a look.


5) Incompatible bulbs 

If the bulbs you use in specific sockets are not the compatible type, flickering may occur. All you need to do here is replace those bulbs with compatible versions. 


6) Wrong bulbs with dimmer switches 


It is important to use only compatible bulbs in dimmer switches. If your bubs are LED ones that are not compliant, it will result in flickering. Either switch to compliant bulbs or consider upgrading to smart bulbs that can be dimmed without a dimmer switch. 

Electrical maintenance in Newnan | Wrong bulb dimmers

7) Inconsistencies with the utility service


Your electricity provider may be responsible for flickering lights on rare occasions. If your neighbors are connected to the same transformer as you and you share their electrical loads, you may notice flickering lights when your neighbors switch on appliances that draw large amounts of electricity. 


8)Arcing issues


Sometimes, when there is a bad connection in your electrical system, the electrical current may have to skip over it to keep the supply going. This is called arcing. And every time arcing occurs, it can create extremely high temperatures that can sometimes lead to sparks and fire outbreaks. 


Every instance of flickering lights need not be a cause for concern. However, it is impossible to be sure unless you get it checked by
electrical maintenance experts in Newnan. These professionals will evaluate your entire electrical system, inspect the wiring, check for loose plugs and uncover any other issues in circuit boxes that may be causing the flickering. Within no time, they will get the issue resolved so that you can be sure that you and your family are safe from electrical threats. 


Flickering lights at home?


Book an electrical inspection today

Electrical maintenance in Newnan | CTA
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