Lights have a singular purpose. They illuminate the area around them. From fires to LED’s, this has always been true. Lights allow us to see the world around us in better detail. Burnt out or broken lights are bad but fixable. Just take out the broken bulb and switch it for a working one. Flickering lights are more problematic. They are annoying, yes, but they could be worse than that. Flickering lights could have a multitude of causes that range from the mundane to the dangerous. Flickering lights should be treated as you would treat any other issue involving electrical power. A licensed electrician should be able to diagnose and solve the reason behind your flickering lights. That being said, here are some common causes of flickering lights.
One reason you may see your lights flickering is that a large appliance may suddenly demand a larger share of the power. If your washing machine spins into high gear, you may notice that your lights will temporarily flicker. Another benign reason could be power drainage. If you share a power transformer with multiple people, then their power consumption could impact your lights. These are examples of some of the most harmless causes of lights flickering. There are however more serious causes behind it as well.
Prolonged flickering is indicative of something more serious. One of the causes could be a loose circuit connection. When a point of connection becomes loose it then becomes a point of high resistance. This is extremely dangerous because a high resistance point means high heat. The lack of a snug connection allows plenty of heat to escape. This escaped heat could damage all the wiring in the area, as well as the connection itself. Another indicator of serious danger would be a switch failing. A switch failing is not as dangerous as a loose connection because a failing switch only damages itself. These two issues, among others, can be solved by hiring a licensed electrician.
There are two obvious things you should do before contacting an electrician. The first thing to do is check and make sure that the bulb that is flickering is not just faulty. If the bulb checks out, then it might be that the bulb might not have been properly screwed in. That’s the second thing, checking to make sure the lightbulb is properly screwed in. If the threads don’t align correctly, the electrical current may not be steady. An inconsistent electrical current might well result in a flickering light.
Flickering lights are a hassle, but they usually do not signify anything serious. There are plenty of common causes that are not serious, yes, but that does not mean that it can’t be something dangerous. A loose connection might cause thousands of dollars in damages or even worse things. The same could be said for a faulty switch. If the bulb checks out it is smart to call in a licensed electrician to check out. It is always wise to be cautious when dealing with electrical problems.