Buzzing light bulbs and fixtures can be annoying if not resolved. When you turn the lights on, you expect your home to illuminate, not to hear unwanted buzzing noises. Besides being annoying, buzzing light bulbs often indicate issues with your electrical system or wiring that could pose hazards and increase the risk of accidents, such as fires. Problems with wiring or the electrical system could also cause appliances to receive shocks, stop working, or lead to additional expenses, which, more importantly, could cause harm to you or your family. While you can fix some of these issues on your own, others may require professional repair or replacement.
There are many reasons for buzzing in your lighting fixtures, but generally, it starts with the light bulbs, fixtures, or switches.
This article will help you understand the different light fixtures and how to fix them. We'll discuss the reasons your light fixtures or bulbs might buzz and how to resolve these issues, whether you can do it yourself or need to call a professional.
What Are the Causes of Buzzing Light Bulbs?
When bulbs are old and about to stop working, they may start buzzing, indicating the end of their lifespan. However, bulbs aren't always the most common reason for buzzing. The issue could be related to the voltage being applied, the wiring, or even other appliances using the same electrical system.
What does a buzzing bulb mean? Let's discuss some of the possibilities depending on the different types of bulbs and how to fix them.
Incandescent Bulbs
Incandescent bulbs usually work quietly. However, if you've put them on a dimmer switch, buzzing can become an issue. Dimmers reduce the voltage in the electrical system, which decreases the amount of electricity reaching the filaments and lowers the light output. The fluctuation in voltage causes the light bulb filaments to vibrate, leading to flickering and buzzing sounds. Although the buzzing is not an indication of an electrical hazard, it may concern you and discourage you from using the dimmer on your light bulb.
Fluorescent Lights
Fluorescent lights flicker and buzz when they're old; you can simply replace the bulb to solve this issue. However, this might not fix the issue if you are using an outdated ballast. A ballast is a device used in fluorescent and HID (High-intensity discharge) lighting systems to regulate the current of the lamps and provide sufficient voltage to start the lamps. When the ballast is old, it can't properly regulate the voltage, thus leading to buzzing.
LED Light Bulbs
LED bulbs do not work on filaments or firing arcs like incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, so they don't have parts that can produce buzzing noises. However, LED lights can still buzz if you use a dimmer on a non-dimmable LED bulb. Another reason for LED bulbs buzzing could be electromagnetic interference from other devices or lighting fixtures. Devices using the same line can also cause this issue.
How to Fix a Buzzing Light Bulb?
Here are some tips to stop a light bulb from buzzing :
Changing the Bulb
An outdated bulb causing the buzzing noise can be fixed by swapping it for a new one. This is an easy and simple way to resolve the issue. You can replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LEDs, which have strong and thick filaments. There are also options with no filaments at all, meaning they don't vibrate or flicker due to voltage fluctuations. You can opt for those bulbs to reduce the chances of potential flicker and buzzing in the future. Additionally, you can cut down on electricity usage and reduce your bills because of the low wattage capacity of these bulbs; they're specifically designed to help reduce electricity consumption.
Use the Bulbs Compatible With a Dimmer
If you still have the buzzing issue after changing the bulbs, check for issues caused by the dimmer switch. Dimmer switches can make some bulbs flicker due to voltage changes. You can use bulbs designed for dimming functions, which makes it easy to use a dimmer without worrying about noises or issues that a dimmer may cause when used with incompatible bulbs.
To check if the bulbs are causing the buzzing, you can remove a few bulbs from the multi-light fixtures and see if the buzzing stops or persists. If it stops, your dimmer is likely the reason for the buzzing, as it may not work well with multiple bulbs and might be unable to handle the wattage of multiple lights simultaneously. To fix this, replace the bulbs with energy-efficient CFLs or LED lights.
Change Your Dimmer or Ballast
Magnetic ballasts and cheap dimmers can cause buzzing as they disrupt the electromagnetic interference of the bulbs or the electrical system of your house. You can resolve this issue by replacing these dimmers or ballasts with high-quality ones to stop your bulbs from making unwanted buzzing noises and disrupting your home's peace.
When to Call an Expert or Professional?
If you've tried all these ways to fix your buzzing light bulbs and are still unable to resolve the issue, and they continue to make a buzzing noise, there might be a problem larger than it seems. You may not be able to fix it on your own without expertise in this area. A professional electrician can help you resolve this issue, as well as any other issues if they arise. You can call an electrician to assess your electrical system or lighting fixtures to determine where the issue lies. They may assist you in upgrading your dimmer, ballast, bulbs, or wiring if needed.
