Flickering Lights and What They Mean: Advice from a Residential Electrician in Louisa, VA

August 14, 2017 10:37 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Have you noticed flickering lights in your home recently? If so, it’s important to know when there’s nothing to worry about and when you should arrange for service from a residential electrician in Louisa, VA.

Here are some common instances when you may experience flickering lights in your home, and what they mean. We’ll start with some situations that may be inconvenient, but don’t rise to the level of truly worrisome:

  • Improperly adjusted lightbulb: If you notice flickering coming from a certain lightbulb, check that it has been screwed in properly. To check a lightbulb, turn off the light and protect your hand with a glove before reaching for the lightbulb. If you experience additional flickering after performing this check and any needed tightening, you likely have a more serious electrical issue that should be examined.
  • Malfunctioning light switch: Sometimes a light switch may not connect correctly with the corresponding light bulb. To check that this is just a temporary glitch, turn your light switch off and on or leave the light off for a while before turning it on. If this doesn’t seem to make a difference, a replacement switch should solve the issue.
  • Flickering of LED or fluorescent lights: These types of lights tend to be more subject to flickering than other types. If you notice flickering for several seconds after you turn on a fluorescent light, for example, this isn’t typically a problem. That’s because it takes a moment for this type of light to achieve full illumination. Similarly, LED lights may flicker if they are not connected properly to a driver or if you are using a certain type of dimming system. In both of these cases, it’s rare that these indicate an ongoing problem, but if the flickering feels more repetitive than you’d like, you can swap out your lightbulbs for new ones.

The following situations, on the other hand, are a bit more serious. In these cases, you really shouldn’t delay in contacting an electrician:

  • Faulty wiring: If you want to perform a check for loose wiring to help determine a potential problem, turn off the light via the circuit breaker before you check the wiring. If the wiring looks like it has come loose, you’ll need to bring in a professional electrician.
  • Voltage problems: Do your lights flicker after you turn on an appliance that produces heavy wattage? If the flickering continues even after you’re done using the appliance, you may be experiencing an electrical problem because of this fluctuation in voltage. If you notice lights dimming on their own, or notice that they burn out quickly, it’s likely a good idea to have the voltage levels in your home examined.

Whether you need a residential electrician in Louisa, VA now or want to identify one you can trust for any future issues, Diamond Electric is a premier local provider of electrical services. We have more than 15 years of experience and can perform all types of electrical work for both residential and commercial locations, including wiring new build homes and commercial properties. Our work includes, but is not limited to, electrical wiring, generator installation and repair and recessed lighting installation.

We are proud to offer exceptional customer service, along with a minimum one-year guarantee for all of our work. To schedule service, to receive a free consultation or estimate or to learn more about what we do, get in touch today!

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