If the lights in your home flicker whenever you turn them on, you may think that you have a problem with your electrical system. Although the electricity in your home can experience power fluctuations and other problems that cause flickering lights, sometimes, the real problem lies in the bulbs you use to light up your home. Here are two causes of flickering lights you didn't see coming.

Loose Caps on the Light Bulbs

Light bulbs connect to your home's electrical system through their caps. The caps cover the electrical wires in the bulb that transfer or receive electricity through the sockets in your ceiling or ceiling fans. Sometimes, the caps loosen up when they rust or become too old, which disrupts the electricity that flows through them. As a result, the light bulbs lose connection to the home's electrical wiring and flicker off and on.

To see if loose caps on your light bulbs are the causes of your flickering lights, follow the tips below:

  1. Turn off all the lights in your ceilings at their light switches. You want to the bulbs to cool down before you touch them.
  2. Select one light bulb to begin.
  3. Touch the cap to see if it moves, wobbles or comes off. If the cap does any of these things, change the bulb.
  4. Examine the inside of the socket. If it contains rust, make note to contact an electrician to change or repair the socket. The rust from your loose light bulbs can spread to the sockets over time.
  5. Complete steps 3-4 with the rest of the bulbs.

After you complete the steps above, move to the next step.

Wrong Size Light Bulbs in Your Lamps

Using the wrong size light bulbs in your desk and wall lamps can cause the lights to flicker. Your lamps are designed to use bulbs in specific wattages and sizes to avoid overheating the elements and wires in the sockets. The overheating parts can cause power fluctuations in the home, as well as fires if they become too hot.

You want to check the labeling inside each lamp to see if you have the right size, wattage and type of bulb in it. For example, if your desk lamp requires a 15-watt bulb to operate it safely, and you have a 25-watt bulb in it instead, switch out the bulbs right away.

After you check and change the bulbs, wait 30 minutes. If the lights stop flickering, you successfully made the right changes. If the lights continue to flicker, contact an electrician.

Share