Why Your Lights Flicker and When It’s an Electrical Safety Issue

You’re trying to read, but the kitchen lights flicker. Gradually, you realize that your LEDs always seem to flutter at night. Even your bedroom lamp appears to be pulsing.

While these symptoms may be harmless, they could be a warning sign of overloaded circuits and loose wiring. To help you avoid potential safety risks, we’ll cover common reasons for lights flickering, simple safety checks you can do, and red flags that mean you should call our electricians right away.

What Counts as “Flickering”?

Flickering is when your lights seem to flutter or blink. Often, this happens when an appliance turns on. However, it can occur randomly as well.

Besides flickering, you should also pay attention to dimming and pulsing. While dimming is when the room gets noticeably darker for a second, pulsing is when your lights steadily go through a bright-dim-bright pattern.

The Most Common, Non-Emergency Reasons Your Lights Flicker

There are a few common reasons why your lights may flicker. These aren’t emergencies, and they can often be safely dealt with on your own.

Loose Bulb or Failing Bulb

A loose bulb will cause just one fixture to flicker, and there may be vibrations as well. You can fix this by simply shutting the light off, allowing it to cool, and tightening the bulb. If this doesn’t work, try replacing it with a new one.

LED Bulb and Dimmer Incompatibility

If the light flickers only at lower settings or when it is dimmed, it may be due to a poor-quality LED driver or a dimmer that isn’t designed for LEDs. Fix this issue by switching to a dimmable LED bulb or installing an LED-rated dimmer.

A Big Appliance Starts Up and the Lights Dip for a Moment

If your lights dim when a heat pump, refrigerator, or other appliance turns on, it’s likely not an issue. However, dramatic flickering or flickering on other sides of your home are indications of a problem.

Utility Power Fluctuations

When your utility power fluctuates, you’ll notice flickering lights in multiple rooms. It is more common during rain or wind events. Additionally, your neighbors will likely notice it as well. Just to be safe, it’s still a good idea to schedule a professional inspection.

LED-Specific Flicker: Why “New Bulbs” Can Still Flicker

When there is a low-quality LED driver or an incompatible fixture for LED lights, you may notice pulsing or flickering. Additionally, smart bulbs can flicker because of faulty internal electronics or dropped signals. If there is a neutral connection issue, it will often be more noticeable with an LED light than with incandescent bulbs.

When Flickering Lights Are a True Electrical Safety Concern

If you’re experiencing flickering lights in your Oregon home, remember the following red flags and emergency signs. Whether you need help with electrical switches or panel upgrades, our team can ensure your electrical systems are functioning as safely as possible.

Red Flags That Mean “Call an Electrician”

The following red flags are indications that you should call our electricians and schedule electrical repairs.

• There is flickering in multiple rooms or your entire home.
• Your home is also experiencing buzzing noises near the outlets, switches, or panel.
• Lights in your home brighten and dim significantly.
• There are burning odors, warm outlets or switch plates, and scorch marks.
• The breaker keeps tripping repeatedly, or there are “half-trips.”
• There is flickering and a power loss in part of your home.
• The flickering starts all of a sudden or becomes worse over time.

Emergency Signs: Stop and Get Help Right Away

The following symptoms are signs of an emergency. Immediately call for help to prevent a fire, electrical shock, or damage.

• Sparks, arcing sounds, or smoke
• Repeated popping noises in your electrical panel, outlets, or switches
• Burning odors that don’t dissipate quickly

The Behind-the-Scenes Causes Pros Take Seriously

If the flickering is caused by any of the following causes, it is important to get professional evaluations and repairs.

Loose Connection in Your Switch, Outlet, Fixture, or Junction

Loose connections can cause arcing and added heat. You may notice flickering when you walk across the room or touch a switch. Windy days may also make flickering more likely.

Loose or Failing Neutral Connection

A loose or failing neutral connection can cause major swings in brightness, flickering all over the house, and other unpredictable behavior.

Overloaded Circuit or Poor Load Distribution

Overloaded circuits and poor load distribution are a problem when there are too many high-draw devices on a single circuit. This can cause repeated dips, stressing your wiring. You may experience flickering whenever you use your hair dryer, vacuum, space heater, or similar appliances.

Aging Panel, Failing Breaker, or Busbar Issues

If aging panels, failing breakers, or busbar problems are the cause, you may hear buzzing or notice random trips. When flickering occurs, the breakers will often feel warm as well.

Service Entrance Problems

The service entrance is the connection that runs from the meter to the panel. If a problem occurs here, it can affect the safety of your entire home and be incredibly dangerous. As a homeowner, you may notice a widespread flicker that doesn’t align with appliance usage, windy days, or similar factors.

A Simple Troubleshooting Guide: Where Is It Happening?

To determine the underlying cause, there are a few troubleshooting tips you can watch out for.

If It’s Only One Lamp or One Fixture

If it seems like only one light or fixture is affected, it is likely due to a localized problem, such as an issue with the socket, bulb, fixture wiring, or switch. You can troubleshoot by trying a different outlet or swapping the bulb. Additionally, try touching the light or fixture to see if it flickers when you touch it.

If It’s One Room or One Circuit

When one room or circuit is involved, it is likely due to an overloaded circuit or a loose neutral on that circuit. Alternatively, the switch connection could be at fault. Monitor which devices are running when it flickers to narrow down the cause.

If It’s the Whole House

This likely happens because of a panel connection, power fluctuations through the utility provider, or the service neutral. For these issues, the only way to check is by calling a licensed electrician for professional help.

Safe DIY Checks You Can Do Without Taking Anything Apart

For safe troubleshooting, try the following tips.

• Replace the bulb with one you know works well.
• Test the dimmer at full brightness and different levels.
• Make sure you have the right bulb for the fixture.
• Unplug a high-draw device, such as a washer, to see if the flicker changes at all.

When trying to figure out the problem, start by considering the timing. For example, does it happen only at night? Pay attention to whether flickering occurs when HVAC systems, microwaves, or other appliances switch on. Similarly, note any unusual warmth, noises, or smells.

To protect the safety of your family and your home, you should never open the electrical panel. Additionally, don’t pull switches or outlets out of the wall.

If your breaker keeps tripping, don’t continue to reset it. This indicates underlying safety issues that need to be addressed by a professional electrician.

What a Professional Electrical Inspection Typically Includes

During an inspection, a professional electrician will go through the following steps.

• Identify if the flicker is occurring at a fixture, circuit, or whole-home level.
• Inspect for issues with your circuit load or breaker connections.
• Look for signs of overheating.
• Test voltage stability.
• Look for neutral problems.
• Inspect key connection points where flickering issues begin.

Once these steps are complete, the electrician can recommend whether a simple repair, circuit adjustment, or panel repair is needed. If the issue is occurring upstream with the utility provider, the electrician can work with them to resolve the problem.

How To Prevent Flickering Issues Long-Term

Over the long run, there are a few effective measures you can take to prevent flickering in your home.

• Always use high-quality LED bulbs that are designed for the dimmer and fixture.
• Don’t overload your circuits with high-draw appliances, like space heaters and microwaves.
• In heavy-use areas, consider getting dedicated circuits. For example, dedicated circuits are effective for shop tools, EV charging, and home offices.

FAQs

To help you manage your flickering lights, we’ve compiled some of the most frequently asked questions.

Are flickering lights dangerous?

Sometimes. They can occur due to non-dangerous reasons, such as a big appliance starting up, a loose bulb, or fluctuations in power from the utility provider. However, flickering lights can also happen because of wiring issues or faulty components. To avoid a potential safety hazard, it’s essential to get your flickering lights checked out by a licensed electrician.

Why do my lights flicker when the heater or heat pump turns on?

When a large appliance turns on, it requires an extra surge of power. This surge causes the lights to briefly flicker. Excessive flickering or flickering at other times is a sign that you should get a professional inspection.

Why do LED lights flicker, but old bulbs don’t?

LED bulbs have incredibly fast switches that respond immediately to dips in power. In comparison, old bulbs have thermal inertia and don’t respond quickly enough to have this type of flickering. The filament in incandescent bulbs glows because it is heated, and temporary dips in power don’t cool it enough to stop it from providing light.

Can a bad breaker cause lights to flicker?

Absolutely. Breakers are responsible for stopping major power surges from getting into your home, so a bad breaker can cause power surges and flickering.

What does a loose neutral look like in real life?

If your neutral wire is loose, you may notice visible looseness, buzzing noises, or signs of corrosion. There may be heat-related symptoms, such as burning odors, discolored plastic, and charred insulation. You may also have flickering lights or experience electrical shocks.

If my neighbor’s lights flicker too, do I still need an electrician?

Widespread flickering in your neighborhood is often related to the utility provider and not your home’s electrical systems. As long as the flickering occurs at the same time as the rest of your neighborhood, it probably isn’t a problem.

Should I replace my dimmer switch if my LEDs flicker?

It is often a good idea to replace dimmer switches if LED lights flicker. This is the leading reason why LEDs flicker, and it is relatively easy to resolve.

When should I call for emergency electrical service?

You should call as soon as you notice any potential safety hazards. Discolored outlets, outlets that are hot to the touch, burning odors, buzzing noises, frequently tripped breakers, and sparks are all indications that you should immediately call our electricians for immediate help.

Get Help With Your Flickering Lights

While some flickering is normal, recurring flickering, big swings in brightness, whole-home flickering, buzzing sounds, burning odors, and warm electrical systems are all signs of potential problems.

If your flickering lights are a persistent issue, don’t wait to call for help. Schedule an electrical inspection today to ensure your systems are safe and functioning properly.