One of the overhead lights in your house is making a buzzing sound. Is it the bulb, the fixture, the switch, or something else?
You might be able to stop the buzzing simply by changing the bulb or by using a different type of bulb. Or you may need to call in an electrician to see if it’s caused by a more complex electrical issue.
Finding the cause of a buzzing light isn’t always straightforward. A professional electrician can help you determine which of the following is causing your lightswitch to buzz. Here are some possible causes:
- Incompatibility between the bulb and the light fixture or dimmer switch
- High bulb wattage
- Loose wiring or a loose fixture
- An overloaded circuit
- A faulty electrical component
- Wear and tear, such as worn insulation, frayed wiring or rusty sockets
- Electrical arcing
- Overloading
Let’s explore what it might be.
It’s the bulb.
Bulbs can buzz when there are voltage fluctuations. You can tell with incandescent bulbs because the filament vibrates.
Fluorescent bulbs always make a low humming sound. But if they start to buzz in a louder, more disruptive way, you may need to adjust or replace the ballast.
Energy-efficient bulbs, such as compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs), make a buzzing sound when their electronic components vibrate in response to an uneven flow of electricity.
It’s the fixture or switch. Specifically, the dimmer switch.
Because traditional dimmer switches were designed for incandescent bulbs, your dimmer might be incompatible with a CFL or LED bulb. This incompatibility is known as em interference, which causes the LED driver’s internal electronics to vibrate (recessedlighting.com).The solution is to replace your dimmer switch with one that’s compatible with your bulbs.
Can you hear buzzing coming from the dimmer switch itself or from the wall near it? You need to do more than switch out the bulb. Call in a professional electrician. Shut off the breaker that runs electricity to that part of the house and call an electrician right away to make sure you contain and fix any serious electrical problems.
It’s the electrical wiring.
A buzzing sound could be caused by a loose wiring connection or faulty wiring.
A loose connection inside the switch or in electrical wiring that runs to the switch can cause what electricians call arcing — that’s when electricity jumps a gap from one connection to another. When it does so, it can cause a buzzing sound.
Faulty or damaged wiring causes a buzzing sound due to resistance it creates in an electrical circuit. This is nothing to mess around with. Call in an electrician immediately to fix the wiring and keep your home safe from an electrical fire.
It’s something else.
There’s also evidence that electromagnetic interference from small appliances in your home can cause buzzing. If you and your electrician have exhausted all other options, consider whether your microwave or another device in your home might be interfering.