Flickering and dimming lights can be spooky, but usually they’re simply annoying. Still, flickering lights can ultimately be hazardous, depending on the cause behind them. Reliable electricians would say that these are the five common causes:
Faulty Lights
Don’t blame your power company too quickly. More often than not, your lighting fixtures are just going bad. This is particularly true if the issue is isolated. It could be a ballast failure, meaning that the ballast isn’t putting out a sufficient amount of voltage to produce consistent brightness. Replacing the faulty unit(s) should resolve the problem in no time.
Worn-Out Aluminum Electrical Wires
Decades-old properties have solid-conductor aluminum wiring, which deteriorates with time and use. Any mechanical disturbance can also cause the connectors in an aluminum-wired circuit to overheat. If you don’t call a professional in a timely manner, before too long they can even become hot enough to start a fire.
Defective Circuit Breakers
If the affected lights are only on a single circuit, it’s reasonable to suspect a faulty circuit breaker. Some brands or models have been documented to have high rates of failure. Bad circuit breakers must be switched off at the electrical panel until professionally inspected to avoid shock and fire hazards.
High-Amperage Appliances
What was the last thing that happened before your lights started to flicker? If you recently bought a new appliance, this could be to blame. The problem probably is that the appliance is drawing high current, especially when beginning to run. But if this is the case, some appliances could be a struggle to power on. Either way, it’s imperative to detect which ones are guilty before they trip the circuit breaker.
Sudden Voltage Drops
Sometimes, lighting fixtures turn on and off due to fluctuations in electric supply. The weather could be tampering with the infrastructure of your utility company, or too much load on the electrical system could be decreasing the amount of power your community is receiving. The bad news is that this could lead to total power loss, but on the bright side, your property isn’t causing it.
Let Experienced Electricians Unravel the Mystery Behind Your Flickering Lights
Efficient Systems is home to dependable electricians that are adept at servicing residential, commercial and industrial properties in Indianapolis. Call us at [company_phone] or complete this form to have a qualified professional come out at any time, and avoid being left in the dark.