Keep clear of the affected area.
Move people away from exposed wires, smoke, burning smells, sparking, wet fittings or damaged electrical equipment.
Electrical fault guide
Lights Flickering
Flickering may affect one lamp, a room or several parts of a property. It does not establish a cause on its own. If it accompanies smoke, fire, electric shock injury or immediate danger, move clear and call Triple Zero (000) before arranging electrical work.
NSW Licence 398937C
Open 24/7 for urgent electrical fault calls
Fault finding and testing
Photos help planned quotes
When to call first
Treat an active or unsafe fault as a phone-first job.
If the issue is happening now, feels unsafe or involves heat, smoke, sparking, shock risk, water damage or power loss, call first so the risk can be triaged. For planned inspection or repair, send photos and job details through the quote form.
Do not touch damaged, wet or live equipment.
Avoid switchboards, outlets, appliances, service equipment and fittings that look damaged, wet, hot or unsafe.
Call emergency services first for life-threatening danger.
For fire, electric shock injury, fallen powerlines or immediate danger to people, keep clear and call 000 first.
What it can mean
Do not guess with electrical faults.
The cause can sit at the fitting, circuit, appliance, switchboard or supply. Proper testing keeps the next action clear.
An individual LED lamp, driver or incompatible dimmer can produce flicker. That possibility should not be used to dismiss heat, smells or a wiring problem, especially when the behaviour has changed suddenly.
A poor connection in a fitting, circuit or supply can affect lighting. Testing is needed to locate it; a description of flicker cannot confirm a loose neutral or identify whether the fault belongs to the property or network.
A brief change already noticed when equipment starts is useful history. Persistent dimming, unusually bright lamps or changes across multiple circuits require assessment rather than repeated appliance-start experiments.
Water ingress or damaged equipment after a storm can coexist with a supply interruption. Nearby properties being affected may help the distributor investigate, but neighbours having power does not rule out a supply fault to your property.
Check safely
What to do before calling.
Only check what is safe, dry and obvious. If the fault involves heat, water, smoke, sparking or exposed parts, keep clear and call first.
Describe the pattern you already saw: one fitting, several rooms, continuous or occasional. Do not climb to a fitting, remove lamps or covers, or switch loads to reproduce it.
Keep clear of damaged, wet, hot or buzzing equipment. A shock or tingle must be reported immediately to your electricity distributor; do not touch or retest the location.
For sudden widespread lighting or supply changes, contact your electricity distributor and arrange electrical assessment as appropriate. For a possible fire or immediate danger, call 000 from safety first.
Our licensed electricians assess accessible fittings, controls, relevant circuits and voltage conditions. Findings may support a compatible lighting component, connection repair or further supply investigation. Intermittent behaviour may require more than one observation period.
Send useful details
A few photos can make the quote faster.
For non-urgent work, open the secure booking form to send your address, photos and job notes. Evaready Electrical can then review the job and reply with the next action.
List affected rooms and the type of light or dimmer if already known. Mention recent lamp or control changes without dismantling anything to identify a model.
Include the approximate time, duration and any equipment already operating. Distinguish an observed coincidence from a confirmed cause.
An existing video may help, but do not recreate the fault, stand near suspect equipment or climb to obtain one. Never delay emergency help for a recording or photograph.
Mention any distributor report and whether other supply symptoms occurred. A video cannot determine voltage, connection integrity or whole-property safety; testing and access determine the scope of the assessment.
FAQ
Common questions.
Are flickering lights dangerous?
Some causes are within a lamp or control, while others involve unsafe connections or supply faults. Do not assume it is harmless because the lights still work. Sudden widespread flicker, brightening, smells or heat need prompt attention; smoke or an active emergency requires 000 first.
Can LED lights flicker because of old dimmers?
Compatibility between a lamp, driver and dimmer can matter. Our licensed electricians can assess the combination and associated installation before recommending changes. Do not open a dimmer or fitting yourself, and do not assume compatibility is the cause if other warning signs are present.
Why do lights flicker when an appliance turns on?
Starting current can coincide with a voltage change, but the severity, circuit arrangement and connections need assessment. Tell us what you already noticed rather than cycling the appliance as a test. Supply-side concerns may need distributor investigation, and a single normal reading may not resolve an intermittent issue.
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