How To Fix Flickering Lights - Common Causes At Home

Do you have a question about flickering lights in your home or office? You can consult with our in-office electrician in Mesa AZ free of charge. He has over 30 years of commercial and residential lighting experience and is available Monday thru Friday, during normal business hours. Our in-office electrician is sure to have the solutions you are looking for to fix flickering lights in house and office electrical systems. Give him a call today; you’ll be happy you did!

About Lights Flickering On and Off

Lights that are flickering on and off are one of the most common lighting problems. Flickering lights can be caused by a number of electrical problems which we will go over how to fix below. The first thing to identify is where the flickering is happening. You may be experiencing a persistent flicker at a single fixture, in just one room, in several rooms or in about half of your house.

What Causes Flickering Lights In A House And How To Fix Them?

A Failing Switch:

Look for a bad switch when all of the flickering lights are controlled by a single switch. All of the lights controlled by that switch should be experiencing a simultaneous flicker. If flickering lights are present in multiple rooms or are controlled by more than one switch, the problem will be something more than a switch failing and an electrician may be needed.

A Loose Connection:

A loose connection in the wiring can be the source of flickering in just one room or in multiple rooms. If only some of the lights controlled by a single switch are dimming or blinking, the loose connection is probably above or behind one of the light fixtures. If multiple lights controlled by separate switches experience a simultaneous flicker, the loose connection may be found in the incoming power wires that supply the switches and lights with electricity. Both the hot and neutral wires will need to be checked for loose connections. This should be done by an individual that has experience with fixing electrical wiring or you can contact our electricians in Mesa AZ for assistance.

A Failing Circuit Breaker:

This will typically not be the case if the flickering lights are in just one room. The circuit breakers in the panel will usually supply power to numerous light switches throughout a house or office. Check for a failing circuit breaker if multiple areas have a lighting flicker. Also check that the connections in the panel, especially at the neutral bar, are tight. This should be done by an individual that has circuit breaker replacement experience or contact our Mesa electricians for help.

The Incoming Power:

A blinking, dimming or on and off flicker through roughly half of your home or office can indicate a problem with the incoming power. This can include a possible failing main circuit breaker, a problem with the electric meter or the incoming power that’s being delivered from the electric utility company.

In some cases you may notice a flicker only on windy days. This can happen to homes and offices where the power wires are coming in overhead to the power panel. If a loose connection is present where the power company’s wires connect to your main power wires, flickering can occur. Do not attempt to fix this yourself unless you have professional experience with main electrical power distribution. There is a high risk of electrocution because the power cannot be shut down locally with a circuit breaker.

Dolce Electric Co schedules an electrician Mesa AZ homeowners and businesses can consult with free of charge for all electrical matters. Give our Mesa AZ electricians a call Monday thru Friday during regular office hours; you’ll be happy you did!

Fluorescent Lighting Problems And How To Fix Them

Annoying as it is, a single fluorescent light flickering on and off is not a sign of a major electrical problem. In most cases the problem can be found in the fixture itself. While it’s possible that more than one fixture can experience problems at the same time, remember that they have been used about the same amount of time. Much like the four tires on your car, your fluorescent fixtures are experiencing an equal amount of wear and tear.

About Fluorescent Lighting Problems

Bulbs Flicker When They Are First Turned On:

This is normal, especially in garages and warehouses on colder days. Wait a few moments for the bulbs to warm up and see if the fluorescent lights comes up to fully brilliance.

Fluorescent Lights Flickering And Don’t Turn On Fully:

Flickering fluorescent lights can be caused by two possibilities:

The Bulbs Need Replacing: If your fluorescent bulbs are black or getting dark on the edges, try replacing those fluorescent light bulbs with new ones. Also, check to see how the pins seated in the sockets. The pins on the bulb need to be fully connected in the sockets.
The Ballast Needs Replacing: If your bulbs look good or if you have replaced them with new ones and it didn’t fix the problem, you may need a ballast replacement. A fluorescent fixture that is experiencing a ballast failure can only be fixed with a ballast replacement or by installing an entirely new light fixture. Failing ballasts will sometimes be leaking out a black fluid or start making a humming noise. To replace a fluorescent ballast you will need to know how to read the electrical wiring schematics that come with the ballast and understand what wires connect together. If you are not confident about what wires to connect, contact our electricians for help.

Dolce Electric Co has electricians Mesa AZ businesses and homeowners can call for help with flickering lights. Our electricians in Mesa are experts at troubleshooting loose connections, installing replacement ballasts and replacing failing circuit breakers. If you have a lighting problem and would like to know more about how we can help you, give our in-office electrician in Mesa a call at (480) 434-0777. You will be happy you did!