Flickering lights range from mildly annoying to genuinely urgent, and telling the difference matters. A single flickering bulb is usually the bulb. Flickering across the house is a call-now situation.
This guide sorts the causes from harmless to hazardous, with the safe checks first.
The Harmless Causes
A loose bulb — tighten it with the power off at the switch. A dimmer/LED mismatch — the most common flicker we see, fixed by matching the dimmer to the bulbs. A failing bulb near end of life, especially CFLs and cheap LEDs.
Lights that dim briefly when the AC or another large motor starts: a momentary dip is normal; a deep or prolonged dim suggests the circuit or service is marginal and worth a diagnostic.
The Concerning Causes
A loose connection — at the fixture, the switch, or in a junction box — arcs intermittently, and arcing makes heat. Flickering isolated to one fixture or one switch, especially with buzzing or warmth at the switch, deserves prompt attention.
Whole-house flickering, lights dimming when large appliances start across multiple circuits, or flickering that started suddenly: those point at the panel or the service entrance — loose service conductors, a failing main breaker, or a utility-side issue. That is a prompt call, not a wait-and-see.
When to Call Immediately
Burning smells, scorch marks, buzzing from the panel or switches, or flickering across the whole house — call (561) 786-1337 right away. Those are failing-connection symptoms, and failing connections are how electrical fires start.
For single-fixture flicker with no heat, smell, or sound: check the bulb and dimmer compatibility first, then call us if it persists. We would rather check a harmless flicker than miss a dangerous one.
Common questions
My LEDs flicker on the dimmer. What's wrong?
Almost always a dimmer/LED mismatch. Match the dimmer to the bulbs — or have us do it — and the flicker goes away.
The whole house flickers when the AC starts. Is that bad?
A brief dip is normal; a deep dim across the house suggests marginal service or a loose service connection. It deserves a diagnostic — call us.
One light buzzes and flickers. Should I worry?
Buzzing plus flickering at one fixture points to a failing connection or dimmer. Turn it off at the switch and call — it's a quick diagnostic.
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