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Why are Lights Dimming in House Randomly?

Having dimming lights in your house can be annoying, especially when hosting your long-time friends for a get-together. The issue can have you blaming your entire neighbourhood when it could barely be the problem.

Dimming lights are quite easily fixable, more so when you understand the crucial cause of the dimming.  While dimming lights remains a common problem in many houses, you should focus on prevention rather than making it a norm. Don’t forget to consult your electrician for help. No matter how petty the issue appears, professional assistance helps you avoid the risks of electric shock and possible dangers.

Here are the reasons why the lights are dimming in the house randomly:

Worn-out Bulbs

Your bulbs have served you for years but recently started to dim randomly; without much stressing, it could be due to their old age. Most bulbs come with a specified lifespan. When the lifespan approaches, dimming (approximately 30% less than the standard light) is one of the most immediate signs you can notice.

Various brands of bulbs wear out differently. Ensure you confirm the stated lifespan on the packaging or consult with your provider to avoid future inconveniences.

Inappropriate Bulbs

After realizing dimming with one of the bulbs and not the others, the switches probably don’t match the bulbs. Various switches are designed for different bulbs and are thus vulnerable to dimming and other issues when mismatched.

For instance, most dimmer switches aren’t designed for compact fluorescent bulbs and will cause dimming when paired. Ensure the type of bulb you’re using matches your switches to avoid mismatching and, thus, dimming.

Poor Wiring Installation

Sometimes, the dimming of your lights can be caused by improper installation of wires, switches, and related electrical components. Loose connection of the cables or weak structure of the circuits exposes the pieces to gradual deterioration and later random dimming of the lights.

Leaving naked wires behind poses risks of electric shock to the users and causes dimming as the wires are constantly tampered with. Always ensure to work with qualified electricians while installing electric components in your house. Some types of lighting, such as pot light installation, require precision to work properly. You should rely on the experienced experts to help with any installations and avoid electrical faults.

Overloaded Circuits

Most circuits are designed to withstand several gadgets. Still, they could fail when overloaded with heavy appliances such as washing machines, fridges, microwaves, electric cookers, coffee makers, and more. The most immediate effect of an overloaded circuit is dimming lights, and it could go on to the extent of causing a malfunction not unless it’s managed or stopped.

Although overloaded circuits aren’t common in modern houses, kindly confirm with an electrician the number of appliances your circuits can withstand and which ones can be put together to avoid dimmed lights.

Old Electrical Ballasts

Ballasts are passive components used to regulate changes in currents in an electrical circuit. They are permanently wired into the existing fixtures for more effective results. Sometimes, your lights could dim due to issues in the ballasts, such as old age or damage.

A fault ballast is characterized by uneven current flow, which leads to a random dimming of the lights. While ballast-related issues are easily manageable, it’s advisable to consult an experienced electrician who can recommend a replacement or repair for the faulty ballast.

Power Provider Issues

Your bulbs might not be the problem; neither does the electrician, ballasts, or circuits. After adequately inspecting all the above components to no negative results, it’s time to call the power provider or electricity company and inquire about any underlying abnormalities that could be causing lights to dim in your house.

The electricity providers are also prone to power shortages or could be conducting power rationing around your location. Although most companies provide notice in advance for such cases, confirmation offers certainty and confidence to you, the user.

Here are some possible corrective measures to dimming lights:

  • Replace the light fixtures and related components, such as the ballasts.
  • Replace the faulty light switches, sockets, and circuits.
  • Upgrade the wiring to fit some modern heavy appliances that require more power.
  • Change the bulbs in the case of inappropriate bulbs issue.
  • Switch to LED lights for energy conservation

When to Call the Electrician

While not every dimming light calls for an electrician’s attention, that’s the way to go if the issue occurs consistently and is more severe. After a comprehensive study and analysis of all the possible causes for dimming lights to no answer, it’s time to contact an experienced electrician to work on the issue.

Electricians provide a more effective solution since they had lasted longer in the field and probably have encountered such problems before and sorted them out effectively. The professional also advises their clients on how to prevent such issues in the future.

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