Imagine sitting in your bedroom, living room, or office, and the overhead lights start flickering. This is not only a distraction to you, but a worry that something might be wrong with the wiring in the building. Regardless of how frequent the flickering is or how many lightbulbs are affected, you know you need to get it checked out. Flickering lights are not only a nuisance, they can be an indicator of serious electric issues in your home or workspace.
The first thing you need to investigate with regards to the flickering is the quantity of bulbs affected. Is it just one bulb? Multiple? The whole building? This information is key to assessing whether or not the problem is building-wide or specific to a bulb. Next, you want to assess how severe the flickering was as well as the frequency of the flickers. Did the light flash all the way off, then all the way back on? Is it consistent or irregular? Make sure to do your due diligence on the problem at hand before trying to assess the issue.
If it is just one bulb that is flickering, it is possible that you simply need to ensure the bulb is tight enough in the socket to make a proper connection. If the flickering is limited to just one fixture, this is likely the cause. If this has already been confirmed secure, check the electrical socket where the cord is plugged in and whether it is has been partially locked out. If the majority of your bulbs are flickering, it is best to check the main panel and the main connection in your home or building. During this time, also check the main electrical control panel to ensure there is not a voltage overload.
A more dangerous reason for why your lights might be flickering is loose wiring. Loose or outdated wiring can do a lot more than cause your lights to go in and out; these oversights lead to the result of the majority of house fires.
Due to the many reasons a light could be flickering, if you are unsure of the root cause of your bulb issues, call in a professional to help figure the problem out. House and building wiring can be very dangerous, and you do not want injury to yourself or your rooms in the process.