Pattern matters
Flickering at a single bulb is almost always the bulb or the dimmer. Flickering across a room means the circuit. Flickering across the whole house when an appliance starts means service-side: utility, service neutral, or panel.
Single bulb flickers
Loose bulb, wrong dimmer for the LED driver, or end-of-life bulb. Try a different bulb first.
One room flickers
Loose neutral in a switch or outlet on that circuit, dimmer/LED mismatch, or a daisy-chained backstab failure. We open every device on the circuit, retorque, and pigtail where needed.
Whole house flickers when AC or fridge starts
Normal small dip is OK if barely visible. A pronounced dim that takes a second to recover means the service is undersized or has a failing neutral. This requires a prompt safety check.
Flicker after a storm
Service neutral compromise from a falling branch or pole damage. Call Pepco/Dominion/BGE for the service drop, and a licensed electrician for any in-home damage.
Contact a licensed electrician in Maryland, Washington DC, or Northern Virginia at (202) 926-7065 or request a free estimate for a planned electrical project. Estimates for planned installations and upgrades are free. For troubleshooting requests, our team will explain any applicable charges before confirming an appointment.
