Flickering lights may make your home feel spooky, but you can rest assured that ghosts aren’t causing the problem. The source of your flickering lights may come from a real problem that puts your home and family in danger.

Get to know some of the most common reasons for flickering lights so you can decide if you need help from an electrician.

Appliances Draw Amps Away From Lights

If you own an older house, then you may not have an electrical system designed to handle the demands of today’s appliances.

If you notice your lights flicker when you turn on an appliance such as a clothes dryer or air conditioner, then you probably have an old electrical system. It’s annoying, but it doesn’t put your family in danger.

You can prevent the annoyance by having an electrician update your electrical system to meet today’s standards.

Frayed Wires in Your Home’s Weatherhead

Do your lights flicker when high winds or storms come to your area? If that’s the case, then you may have a frayed wire in your weatherhead. A weatherhead is the fitting that connects the power line to your home. They usually look like tubes with several cables running into them.

You need to get frayed wires fixed immediately. When you have a frayed wire, electricity can start fires by coming into contact with flammable materials.

You Have Loose Electrical Wires

Lights may also flicker because you have loose electrical wires in your home. If the wire connected to your light becomes loose, then the bulb will lose contact occasionally. When that happens, the light will flicker because it doesn’t have a consistent source of electricity.

Loose wires pose similar hazards as frayed wires in the weatherhead. If the wire comes into contact with wood, drywall, or other flammable materials, it could start a fire.

Get an Electrical Safety Inspection to Protect Your Home and Family

Don’t call the Ghostbusters when you have flickering lights. You need help from a licensed electrician that has experience inspecting homes.

Contact Mister Sparky® of Lancaster to schedule your electrical safety inspection. Don’t let a loose or frayed wire put your home and family in danger.