Flashing light bulbs are annoying and may cause concern. Before calling a professional, please try these common troubleshooting methods.

If the lights in your home flicker and they are not artificial flames or Christmas tree lights, you may feel frustrated, annoyed, and a little nervous. 

Although some causes of flickering are easy to fix, you should always rule out larger electrical problems to ensure the safe operation of your house. Find out the reason why your light is not working as expected, and you can immediately restore it to the full-on state. 

Read more: The cheapest smart LED bulbs in 2021: Does it matter which bulb you buy?

Before you pick up the phone and call an electrician, there may be a simple culprit that can cause your lighting problems. These adjustments can quickly and easily solve your flicker problem. 

This sounds like an obvious solution, but it is not always the first thing that comes to mind. If your bulb flickers, please turn off the power, wear gloves to protect your hands from heat, and screw the bulb tighter.

If the bulb is too loose, the socket is not in contact with the bulb, which may cause intermittent flickering. Even recessed lights will loosen, so please check these connections first.

Changing the switch can solve the common flicker problem. 

If the source of the problem does not seem to be the bulb itself, check the wall switch. Old dimmer switches designed for incandescent bulbs are not suitable for LEDs. 

If the bulb connected to the dimmer flickers, this may be the cause. Loose or bad wiring behind the switch may also cause flickering.  

Check the ratings of the bulb and dimmer to make sure they are compatible. Mismatches here can cause common lamp problems, such as buzzing or flickering. 

Try to install a new dimmer, such as Lutron Caseta, and make sure to turn off the power to the circuit breaker before doing any wiring work. 

This smart bulb from Sylvania can simplify the lighting of your home and help you get rid of complicated dimmers.

If flickering occurs when using the dimmer switch, and replacing the switch does not solve the problem, please consider upgrading to a smart bulb that does not require a physical dimmer switch. 

Directly dimming the bulb is more reliable, and can usually solve the dimming problem caused by the old-fashioned dimmer switch or the aging of the circuit.

Read more: Want a smart home? Start with your lights

If the simple fixes described above do not solve your lighting problem, you may have a household problem or a problem that requires the attention of a certified electrician. 

The following problems will not only damage your lighting equipment or electrical appliances, but also expose your home to the risk of electrical fires. When you encounter wiring problems, please don't hesitate to call a professional. 

An overloaded circuit puts your home's electrical system at risk. Large electrical appliances and HVAC devices can cause lights to flicker when energized because they draw large currents from the circuit. 

This may indicate improper wiring of the equipment or that the circuit breaker does not fully meet the requirements. Contact a professional to make sure your circuit breaker can safely power everything in your home. 

Before starting any electrical work, turn off the power to any switches or fixtures on the circuit breaker. 

If you want to find out which device is causing the flicker, first supply power to each load on the circuit breaker. A buzzing sound may also occur in this case, so please listen when each circuit is energized. 

An overloaded circuit breaker is very dangerous. In addition to causing problems with your lights, it may even damage your electrical appliances. 

If something is incorrectly wired, or your home’s wires are very old, you may notice the lights flicker. 

Loose wiring is one of the main causes of house fires, and you should never ignore this. If you have tried a variety of other methods to solve the flicker problem, but the problem persists, please have an electrician check your wiring.

Likewise, most flickers are caused by old, faulty or incompatible wall switches or loose or poor quality light bulbs. Your lighting problem is likely to be solved by quick fixes such as changing the dimmer or replacing the bulb. 

However, if you have problems with wiring or circuit breakers, it is best to obtain expert advice on the electricity flowing through your home. 

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