Electrical basics

Troubleshoot flickering lights

Observe where flickering occurs so maintenance receives a clear, useful report.

About 3 minutesNo special tools

Safety first

Do not remove a fixture, open a switch or outlet, or touch wiring.

Written steps

  1. Turn the affected light off.
  2. Note whether the flicker affected one lamp, one room, or several rooms.
  3. If it is a plug-in lamp, unplug it and leave it off.
  4. Submit a maintenance request with when the flicker happens and which areas are affected.

Stop and request maintenance if

  • You smell burning, hear buzzing, see sparks, or a switch or outlet feels hot.
  • Lights dim throughout the home when an appliance starts.
  • The flicker is accompanied by repeated power loss.

Request maintenance

Optional video

Reviews possible flicker patterns. Use it to describe the symptom; electrical repairs belong to maintenance.

Troubleshooting Flickering Lights

Loading shares data with YouTube. The written guide works without the video.

Video summary

Reviews possible flicker patterns. Use it to describe the symptom; electrical repairs belong to maintenance. Follow the written DRG guidance above, which defines where residents should stop.