If you've noticed the lights in your house flickering recently, you may wonder if your home has an electrical problem. Flickering lights are not always a sign of a dangerous electrical situation, but they can be. Here's a look at five things that can cause your lights to flicker.

1. Fluctuation in the Power Supply

The energy flowing through the grid can drop suddenly and cause your lights to flicker. This might happen during a storm or when your power company has an issue. If this is the cause, your flickering lights should be infrequent. If you see the problem almost daily, there's probably a different cause.

2. Problem With a Single Lamp

Before you call an electrician, notice if the problem is just with a single lamp or if the flickering affects an entire room or your whole home. If only one light flickers, the bulb might be loose or there might be a problem with the supply cord. Tighten the bulb and move the lamp to a different outlet. If it continues to flicker, have the lamp checked by a repair shop or just get a new lamp in case there is a problem with the lamp wiring.

3. Bad Electrical Panel

If you've determined the problem affects more than just one lamp, call an electrician for help. If your entire home is affected, the problem might be in the electrical panel. Loose connections could be the problem, and these are dangerous since they create heat that could spark a fire.

4. Overloaded Circuit

An overloaded circuit can cause flickering when an appliance kicks on. Appliances tend to draw a lot of power when they turn on, and that can cause lights to flicker. Because this is a sign of an overloaded circuit, talk to an electrician about a solution. You might need to have another circuit added to your home or at least not use as many appliances and electronics at once. Overloading a circuit can also cause your circuit breaker to trip off.

5. Loose Wiring Connections

There could be loose connections anywhere along the path of a circuit including the light bulb, fixture, outlet, and switch all the way to the electrical panel. Bad wiring and loose connections should be repaired quickly to reduce the risk of a house fire. This is one reason it's good to hire an electrician to uncover the cause of light flickering when it happens frequently. Flickering might be a sign of an electrical problem that's putting your home in danger.

For more information about why your home's lights might be flickering, contact and electrician in your area.