Lighting Experts Confirm Why LED Lights Flicker (& Offer Advice)
Stabilize The Lighting For Your Maryland, DC, Or Northern Virginia Home
LED light bulbs are changing the world.
They last years longer, are brighter, use less energy, can change colors and brightness, and the list goes on. Even the price is dropping.
Honestly, they almost seem too good to be true. So, what’s the catch?
Nothing we have today won’t have some sort of problem. For LED lights, one of those problems is the flicker. It can happen when you turn on your washer. Or, the light itself could be flickering without an obvious cause. It could also be an incompatible switch for the modern LED bulb.
The flicker can be really frustrating. Flickering lights are annoying, well, except for at concerts and events. But those are purposeful. Outside of that, lights don’t need to flicker.
Let’s take a look at what can cause your LEDs to start acting up.
You can troubleshoot your outdoor lights >>
Why Your LED Lights Are Flickering
There are 2 main reasons why LED lights flicker.
Led lights mainly flicker either because of voltage changes or a loose wiring connection. Voltage change can happen when turning on a large appliance. It needs a power surge to turn on. This can take power from the lights, causing them to flicker. A loose connection can happen where the light bulb screws in or in the wiring itself. You could also be dealing with an incompatible dimmer switch.
Whichever one of these is the case, you’ll be wanting to know how to fix it.
Fixing Flickering LED Bulbs
The first place to check is at the bulb itself.
Turn off the power. Then unscrew the bulb and clean the connection point. Do this for the bulb and screw in point. Dusting it or even blowing into it should do the trick. After you clean it, screw it back in. Make sure it’s in there tight enough and turn the power back on.
If that doesn’t work you’ll want to check for a loose connection. This means looking through the wiring (or hiring a professional).
If neither of those solves the problem, you may want to try this solution.
Move the appliances that use more volts to its own circuits. This should reduce the electric stress and flickering. This option isn’t cheap. It may be exactly what you need, plus it can prevent any future damage. Don’t want a bulb blowing out or anything.
Now for the last solution.
For incompatible dimmer switches, you have 2 options. One is to use older LEDs or not use LEDs. The other is to upgrade your dimmer switch.
If none of these work you will need an electrician.
Should You Be Worried?
Only if you or someone you know has epilepsy. Flickering lights can trigger an attack, but besides this LED lights are safe. They do emit a lot of blue light which can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
Just try not to use LED lights (like phones) right before you go to sleep.
If you have any other questions about LED lights we would love to answer them in the comments below.