ProDoorstep

Home / Electricians / Guides

Lights flickering in the house

One flickering lamp is usually a bulb. Flicker that follows you from room to room is a different matter.

Call (844) 505-0813Connects you with a local electrician provider

Calls are answered by an independent provider that serves your ZIP code. You decide whether to hire.

The short version

Most likely cause
A loose or failing bulb, or a bulb that does not suit its dimmer.
Safe to check
Tighten or swap the bulb and note which lights flicker and when.
Call an electrician when
The whole house flickers, or a switch or outlet is warm or smells.

Burning smell, sparks or a hot outlet? Stop using that circuit, switch its breaker off if you can reach the panel safely, and call now. If there is smoke or fire, leave and call 911.Call (844) 505-0813

Safe to check yourself

  • Tighten the bulb or try a new one.
  • Check that the bulb is rated for use with a dimmer.
  • Note whether it is one fixture, one room or the whole house.
  • Note whether it happens when the air conditioner or dryer starts.

Stop and call

  • Lights flicker in several rooms at once.
  • Lights brighten and dim on their own.
  • A switch or outlet feels warm.
  • There is buzzing or a smell of burning plastic.

What makes lights flicker

  • The bulb or the fixtureA bulb loose in its socket or near the end of its life flickers alone. So does a worn socket in an older fixture.
  • A dimmer that does not matchLED bulbs on a dimmer made for older bulbs often flicker or buzz at low settings.
  • A large appliance startingA brief dip when the air conditioner starts is common. Deep or frequent dips are worth having measured.
  • A loose connectionFlicker across a circuit or the whole house can come from a connection that is working loose, which also produces heat.

What an electrician will do

  1. Ask which lights flicker and what else is running at the time.
  2. Check the fixture, switch and dimmer on the affected circuit.
  3. Measure voltage at the panel while large appliances start.
  4. Tighten or repair connections, or refer a supply problem to the power company.

The CPSC includes flickering lights in its list of signs of electrical system problems, together with warm face plates, dead circuits and the smell of burning plastic. Its advice: have a qualified electrician determine the cause.

Related guides

Sources

  • US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Publication 516: aluminum wiring
Call (844) 505-0813