When you discover that lights are flickering in your home it can be quite unnerving and worrying.
What could be the problem and why are the lights flickering?
Some lights do actually visibly flicker. Fluorescent tubes, some LED lights and others can have a visible flicker. The flicker is often related to the 50hz electrical supply that we have in the incoming power to our homes.
There are times when flickering is absolutely not normal though and should be checked out by an electrician.
What could be the cause and what can I do?
If the flickering is just in one light, then there could be issues with the wiring to the light or the bulb in the light could be loose. Perhaps try tightening the bulb in the light and see if that makes a difference. If that doesn’t work then it is likely that an electrician will need to be called. If only one light is affected then it is likely that the light is faulty or there is a wiring issue behind.
The switch that powers the light could also be affected. Loose wiring behind a switch can cause intermittent electrical contact and a light to flicker. Tapping the light switch may give away if there are loose connections behind.
If all the lights on one floor or more of the property are affected then it is likely an issue with the lighting circuit itself or the power supply to the property. There is not much you can do yourself to tackle this and a professional should be called to investigate and repair properly. There could be an issue with the electric meter, supply unit or even out in the street.
⚡Poor quality fittings
We have known poor quality LED fittings to begin to flicker some months after installation. Needless to say, we no longer use that particular brand and have switched to an alternative. It is worth bearing in mind that this could be the cause of your flickering lights though.
⚡Aging wiring
If the property has very old wiring, then degradation in the cabling could cause lights to flicker. The issue could be on the cables or in the main electrical box / consumer unit.
⚡Overloading circuits
If there are lots of appliances plugged in and running at once then this could show as a problem that causes the lights to flicker.
When a lot of power is used there is often a drop in voltage (the electrical force). This can be noticed when starting up an appliance with an electric motor such as a vacuum cleaner for example. If the lights flicker momentarily when a powerful appliance is powered on then there is not likely a problem with the lights themselves. The consumer unit / fuse box should be checked out by a professional to see if there are any potential issues in there. It sometimes pays to have your system updated and checked over.
The other issue that could cause lights to flicker is if there is arcing on the circuit. Electrical arcing is very dangerous and it happens when an electrical current jumps a gap. High temperatures can occur during electrical arcing which can ignite combustible materials in the surrounding area and cause a house fire.
What’s the best thing to do?
If you have swapped out the light bulbs and the lights are still flickering then it is best to call a suitably qualified electrician out to have a look for you. Paying a professional to carry out some fault finding and diagnosis is far more preferable than a potential fire. Any number of issues can cause lights to flicker and a professional electrician should be able to get to the bottom of the problem for you and quote for repairs or upgrades to prevent the situation reoccurring.
What is an electrician going to cost me to find the problem?
Typically, an electrician should be able to find the issue within 1 to 2 hours. It depends upon the rates that they charge for this type of work. Quality of workmanship and rates vary so it’s worth checking. Our rates can be found on our website, by filling in our contact form or giving us a call.
Once the electrician has found the problem for you then there may be a separate bill or quote for repair works to take place. It is not always possible to quote repairs from the outset on the strength of a client description over the phone and often some investigative work needs to take place in order to ascertain the issues.
"I am worried about my electrics, how soon can an electrician come out?"
In the first instance, do not use the lights that you are concerned about. Then look for an emergency electrician. Emergency electricians can attend the same day and often within a few hours of your call. They charge a sightly higher rate than for appointments booked in advance as they may have to leave other electricians on jobs to come and assist you at short notice.
If you are in the North West then we are able to help you personally. Feel free to call us if you need emergency attendance.
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