Flickering of lights throughout the house is a sign that there is a problem in the house. If not addressed properly, it can lead to damage to appliances and bulbs or total loss of property due to fire. A quick diagnosis should be made to assess the severity of flickering lights.
LED and Fluorescent Bulbs
One of the simplest causes of flickering lights is due to lose connection or improper attachment of the bulb to the socket. There is no need to call for an electrician as unscrewing the bulb and reattaching it to make sure that it is properly screwed to the socket is easy to do. LED and fluorescent lights are prone to flickering as the phosphorus, one of the substances inside the bulb takes time before it reaches its peak of illumination.
Loose Electrical Wiring
This is the most serious causes of flickering lights throughout the house and the most common reasons for a house fire. Poor electrical wiring connections can damage appliances as electric surge can destroy the microchips inside the appliances. Loose electrical wiring can also cause overheating of the wires that can result in sparks and short circuits. You can hire a residential electrician in order to evaluate the wiring system in the house. Residential electricians can reinstall the wiring system, upgrade the electrical wiring and maintain the wiring system in order to avoid the hassles brought about by the loose electrical wiring.
Fluctuating Voltages
Voltage fluctuation can trigger the flickering of lights throughout the house. This can bust the light bulbs as the immediate rush of electricity can damage the small wiring inside the bulbs. This can also damage appliances as power surges can easily fry the microchips installed in some appliances. Fluctuation of voltages is generally due to deteriorating wires in the house or in some cases in the power lines. Residential electricians can appraise the wiring in the house with the use of a voltmeter. Residential electricians can upgrade the wiring if the wattage usage in the house is high or they can install devices such as voltage regulator, surge suppressor, or power conditioners.
Proper identification of the causes of flickering lights in the house can save time and money since one can know whether he can easily do it or it needs a professional job by hiring an electrician. Addressing the problem immediately will mitigate the loss of property or at worst a loss of life due to a house fire.
When we purchased our first home, we realized that there was a problem with some of the electrical work. Some of the lights flickered when we turned them on, and others really seemed to have issues if they were left on long term. I thought the issues was the light bulbs themselves at first, so I replaced several of them. However, after making those changes, it seemed like things were still having trouble. I began going through and thinking carefully about how to identify and resolve the challenges, and it occurred to me that working with an electrician could be helpful. I turned to the professional for help, and it was a good thing I did. Read more about electricians on this blog.