According to the most recent statistics compiled by the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), “electrical distribution or lighting equipment was the leading cause of home fire property damage” between 2016 and 2020. During these years, the association estimated that electrical/lighting-related fires caused an average of “30,740 residential fires, 390 deaths, 1,090 injuries, and $1.4 billion in direct property damage annually.”

The electrical experts of Meeks Electrical Services in Tallahassee know that you don’t want to become part of these statistics in the future. Residential fires ignited by electrical issues often don’t provide recognizable advanced warning. However, electrical anomalies in the home, like flickering lights, sometimes portend a significant problem that may present a fire risk.

The question is, if you notice flickering lights in your Tallahassee-area home, how do you determine if it’s a minor, non-threatening annoyance or signs of a serious electrical problem that could spark a fire? Well, read on because Meeks has the answer!

Common Non-Emergency Causes of Flickering Lights

The most common causes of flickering lights in Tallahassee are the bulbs themselves or how they’ve been screwed into their sockets. Flickering can be a sign of defects, especially in incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, and many light bulb types can start flickering as they near the end of their lifespan. An LED light may flicker if incompatible with the fixture or dimmer switch. Last, a light bulb that hasn’t been properly screwed into its socket may be prone to flickering due to an intermittent electrical connection.

Easy fixes for these common problems are to ensure the bulb is properly screwed into its socket, replace the flickering bulb with a new one, and, for LEDs, check its compatibility with the fixture and/or dimmer switch.

If light flickering affects multiple lights simultaneously, your home’s electrical system may be experiencing voltage drops. This usually occurs when high-powered appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators cycle on, but neighborhood power grid issues can also cause it.

Try to identify whether the flickering coincides with appliance cycling. If so, it’s probably no cause for alarm, but you may want to consider upgrading your electrical system, especially if you expect your home’s electrical demand to increase. If the flickering doesn’t seem connected to appliance cycling, see if neighbors are experiencing similar light flickering, and contact your utility company if this is the case. Whatever the cause, as long as the light flickering is occasional and brief, it probably doesn’t require immediate attention from an electrician. However, if it’s a persistent issue, you may want to have it professionally looked at to ensure that voltage fluctuations don’t compromise the home’s electronics over time.

Overloaded circuits are another common cause of light flickering. This happens when too many electrical devices are drawing power from the same circuit. The easy fix is to redistribute devices across different home circuits or to unplug non-essential items. If this does not resolve the light flickering, it’s time to contact your electrician.

When to Call a Tallahassee Electrician About Your Flickering Lights

If you’re unable to determine the cause of your light flickering, you should contact your Tallahassee electrician. Several causes of light flickering present a distinct fire hazard, including:

• Loose or faulty wiring in a fixture, outlet, or electrical panel—this is especially concerning in older homes with aluminum wiring or degraded insulation. Loose or faulty wiring is often the cause of light flickering when it occurs randomly or when you touch a switch or outlet.
• Faulty switches or fixtures—while not posing as much of a fire risk as loose or faulty wiring, this cause of light flickering should be addressed promptly.
• Failing circuit breaker—issues within your main electrical panel can cause widespread light flickering, which an electrician should check out as soon as possible. If your home is powered by a Federal Pacific or Zinsco electrical panel, you should have it replaced immediately. With millions installed in North American homes between 1950 and 1980, these circuit breakers have a high failure rate and have been linked to thousands of residential electrical fires.

In some situations, you should treat light flickering as an emergency that needs prompt attention by a skilled electrician, like those at Meeks. If your home’s light flickering in Tallahassee includes any of the following, contact us immediately:

• You hear buzzing noises and/or see burn marks or sparks.
• There is a noticeable—though perhaps faint—burning odor near switches, fixtures, outlets, or the electrical panel.
• The flickering is widespread and not connected to appliance cycling, storms, or power grid issues.
• Light flickering that gets noticeably worse.
• Circuit breaker tripping frequently occurs with the flickering.

Contact Meeks for Your Electrical Service Needs

If you need to contact a Tallahassee electrician to resolve your flickering lights or other residential electrical issues, don’t Google “home electrician near me”—contact the experts at Meeks. With over 45 years of delivering top-notch electrical services to Leon County residents, you can reach us immediately by calling (850) 575-3201.