Flickering Lights: A Serious Electrical Issue Or Not?

Have you noticed that there are now flickering lights in your home? Perhaps you have not taken any serious action to stop this from happening but know that this could already be more serious than a situation calling for mere bulb replacement.

Lights that flicker may not be a simple case of bulb burnout. Take a good look and you would realize how the flickering affects all the other lights inside your home. If you are wondering what to do during this situation, it is best that you consult a qualified electrician; this is the type of situation that asks for professional help. An electrician, after all, is fully-trained to handle such kinds of problems.

Not a Minor Issue

While you may find flickering lights to be a minor issue, more often than not, it is not. This kind of problem can have the most serious consequences. Depending on the gravity of the situation, there is always that looming danger of an electrical fire starting. Only trained electricians are able to determine the cause of the issue.

Arcing is one probable cause of the flickering bulbs. It could be because an electrical wire has loosened. It is important for the wire to come in full contact with all the other wires, if it does not do this, then that’s the time that you start seeing the flickers.

The electrical current is causing the lights to flicker in its attempt to reach the other electrical wire. The current then jumps over the gap resulting into the temporary lull in the service. Sparks can also be the result of arcing, with each spark creating a huge buildup of heat. When this condition remains unmonitored, then it is highly probable that an electrical fire could ensue.

One other possibility light bulbs that flicker is a circuit breaker that is going bad. Keep in mind that the breaker is there to partly control lighting, and so when it goes bad, then the lights could fluctuate.

Just like arcing, it is needful that you get in touch with a licensed electrician should you encounter breaker problems. But before you ask for a professional fix, take note of a few things that you could point out to this expert.

Light Troubleshooting

• As soon as you notice the flickers, take note of the number of lights that are actually blinking. A flickering light while none else is running is easy to fix, all you have to do in this case is to tighten the bulb or to replace it. If there are more lights that are flickering, then this is a scenario that asks for your neighborhood electrician’s help.

• Is this the first time that you are experiencing this? Or is this the third time that you are replacing a number of bulbs in your home? If so, tell the electrician about the number of light bulb replacements which you have done so that he can properly diagnose the problem.

• Observe also if your neighbors are also experiencing the same thing. If they are, then the electrician must also be informed about this (although it is a part of their job to find out the severity of the issue). If the quivering lights are contained in your home or within a building, then the electrician can narrow down the problem by checking only the wiring in your area.

The diagnosis can continue further if he finds out that the flickering lights have branched out to an even bigger area. The electrician will soon be able to tell you the source of the problem and will give you the best possible solution.

Useful Reference LInks

Flickering Lights: When You Need to Worry
Common Causes of Flickering Lights
Flickering Lights: What’s Normal and When Is It a Problem?
Why Do My Lights Keep Flickering or Blinking?
Many Lights Flickering: A Potentially Serious Electrical Problem