Flickering lights can be frustrating because you’re not sure of the source of the problem. For many homeowners, the challenge of flickering lights is pinpointing the cause of the power irregularities. If your lights are flickering once every now and again, there’s likely no cause for immediate concern, but if this is a reoccurring and noticeable problem, you need to speak to an electrician. Some homeowners are shocked to see a correlation between HVAC usage and noticeable electrical impact. Air conditioners are heavy loads for some electrical systems. You may notice as much as a 5% brightness loss for a second when the system is gearing up. If your lights are flickering for more than a few seconds or your lights are remaining dimmed, you need to contact an experienced electrician to schedule an inspection. We may even be able to ease your concerns with a quick assessment over the phone.
What’s Happening When Your Lights Flicker From Starting Your AC?
The AC capacitor in an AC unit helps the compressor motor start, and if the capacitor is malfunctioning, the AC will pull power from other sources in your home. A broken or failing AC capacitor will pull power from your larger appliances, which translates into flickering lights. Long dimming periods may indicate a different problem, and you may need a new AC capacitor. You shouldn’t be surprised to see minor flickering. Remember, split-second flickering is not a cause for concern. You can contact your trusted electrical specialist to schedule an inspection if you notice prolonged dimming over 3% or more than 5%.
Signs of a Bigger Problem
Some dimming is expected, but you should never encounter a complete outage or an extended blink. If you’ve noticed extended flickering that is noticeable and prolonged, there could be several issues at play.
- Damaged Wiring: If you’ve noticed flickering or dimming, the wires in your home could be damaged. The damage can cause large appliances to pull on your electrical system making it less stable. Large appliances require a considerable amount of current to operate, and instability is a problem that can lead to other issues for your home and appliances.
- Broken Down AC Capacitor: As we’ve mentioned, a failing capacitor may be too weakened to start your air conditioning system. When the capacitor doesn’t have the power to start your air conditioner, it will pull electrical support from your system, causing your lights to dim.
- Overloaded Circuits: If your lights are dimming and you hear buzzing when your AC turns on, it could signal your circuits are overloading. Major appliances all have a dedicated circuit. When your home was expanded and larger systems and appliances were added, upgrades to your electrical system may have been ignored. If your electrical system hasn’t been updated, you may be experiencing an overloaded circuit causing noticeable lighting issues in your home.
All Pro Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical is a Trusted Service Provider
Your home’s electrical system is the heart of your home. It provides energy to all your critical systems, and when it’s failing or showing signs of malfunctions, it’s an important issues to address immediately. At All Pro Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, our licensed and trained electricians are experienced professionals with many years of experience. Additionally, as a comprehensive home services company, when we inspect your home systems – we can provide solutions for every critical system in your home, from your electrical system to your HVAC.
Call (909) 500-8193 to ask how our team can best help with your electrical service needs.