An Inspire electrician on a ladder hanging a pendant light over a dining table.

Why are my lights flickering?

November 07, 2026

Start with how far it spreads. One light usually points to the globe, the fitting or the dimmer. Several lights, or the whole house, can point to a loose connection, your switchboard or the supply in the street. Try a new globe first. Report whole-house flickering to Ausgrid on 13 13 88, and leave anything past the globe to a licensed electrician.

Is anything unsafe right now?

If anyone got a shock or a tingle: stop. Don't touch or re-test whatever caused it, and keep everyone away until Ausgrid and a licensed electrician say it's safe. Call Ausgrid on 13 13 88, any time of day. If it came from something metal, like a tap or sink, Ausgrid says to call 000 as well, and to stay away from taps, sinks, stoves, laundry tubs and water. It also says not to turn the power off at the main switch, because it's often in a metal enclosure that can shock you. If someone is being shocked, don't touch them: call 000. Healthdirect says to see a doctor even if a shock seemed mild.

If you can hear buzzing, see sparks, or a switch or fitting is hot or smells of burning, don't touch it. If there's smoke or flames, get out and call 000. Otherwise call a licensed electrician now, or Ausgrid on 13 13 88 if it's after hours. Ausgrid says to contact an electrician immediately if there's buzzing or sparking at the board.

If it's one light

The globe. Turn the light off and let the globe cool. Check it's seated properly, or try a new one. Changing a globe is the one bit of electrical maintenance the NSW Government says you can do yourself.
The dimmer. If the light is on a dimmer, the two may not suit each other. Energy Rating says to look for lamps marked as compatible with dimmer controls, and Australian testing has looked at how dimmable LEDs work with the dimmers already in homes. Swapping the globe for a dimmable one is yours to do. Changing the dimmer is an electrician's job.
The fitting. If a new globe doesn't fix it, or the light has no replaceable globe, the fault may be in the fitting, its driver or the connection behind it. Leave that to a licensed electrician.

If it's a room, or several lights

A loose connection or old wiring. The NSW Government says rubber insulation in older homes can crumble, and that homes built before the 1980s should be inspected. If you find old or exposed wiring, don't touch it.
A big appliance starting up. A brief dip when something large kicks in may be nothing much. If it's frequent or getting worse, have it checked.

If it's the whole house

Ask a neighbour if theirs are doing it too.

If they are, or part of your house has lost power, call Ausgrid on 13 13 88. It's open 24 hours, and it takes reports of flickering lights and partial loss of power.
If it's only you, still call Ausgrid. Its side runs to the first connection point at your property, so a fault there can affect one house. If it says its side is fine, call a licensed electrician. The NSW Government lists frequently flickering lights as a warning sign for a switchboard upgrade, along with buzzing. A single flickering light isn't a reason to replace a board.

What can you do yourself?

You can change a globe, test your safety switches, and report a problem to Ausgrid. That's about it. NSW Government advice is that DIY electrical work is dangerous and illegal, and that you shouldn't install or move lights or switches.

Stay out of the roof space and sub-floor. You don't need to go up or under to work any of this out. If your house was built or renovated before 1990, NSW Government advice is that it's likely to contain asbestos. So don't drill or cut walls, eaves or switchboard panels until you know what they're made of. In a home built before 1980, stay out of the roof space and sub-floor until testing rules out loose-fill asbestos insulation. Don't touch cables or insulation.

Renting? NSW Fair Trading says any electrical fault in a rental is an urgent repair. Tell your landlord or agent right away.

What happens when you call us?

Lights that flicker are a normal fault-finding job for us. We come and look, find the cause and quote the fix in writing. If it's your globe or Ausgrid's problem, we'll tell you. We also fit downlights, pendants, dimmers and outdoor lights, if the fix turns out to be new ones.

New globe in and it's still flickering? Book a time for us to look. Once you say yes, the price doesn't move. If we open something up and find a real surprise, we stop, show you, and quote it before we go any further. We work across the Northern Beaches, the North Shore, the Eastern Suburbs and the Inner West.

Book an inspection

Prefer to talk now? Call 0466 805 580.

Common questions

Are flickering lights dangerous?

Often not, if it's one globe. But flickering can come from a loose connection, which can overheat, or from a switchboard problem. If a new globe doesn't fix it, have it checked.

Why do my LED downlights flicker when I dim them?

Usually because the globe and the dimmer don't suit each other. Not every LED is made for dimming, so check the packaging first. If it's marked as dimmable and still flickers, the dimmer may need replacing.

Why do my lights flicker when the safety switch doesn't trip?

A safety switch reacts to certain faults, and flicker often isn't one of them. A loose connection can flicker for a long time without tripping anything. If your switch is tripping too, start here.

Do you do other electrical work?

Yes. Switchboards, safety switches, power points, rewiring, smoke alarms and fans. See our Electrical page.

Where this comes from

Sources checked on 7 November 2026.

Brián Patten

Brián runs Inspire Electrical & Ventilation from Davidson on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Every job is quoted in writing before any work starts.

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Inspire Electrical & Ventilation · 16 Hyndes Place, Davidson NSW 2085 · 0466 805 580 · [email protected]
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