Buzzing light is when your lightbulbs make a high-pitched whining noise. This constant hum can be quite irritating and rather worrying.
The good news is you can fix most cases of buzzing light by yourself, with little to no cost. But before we get started on a solution, we have to first identify the cause of the humming.
- Why is Light Buzzing?
- How to Fix Buzzing LED Lights
- How to Fix Buzzing Fluorescent Lights
- FAQs about Buzzing Lights
Why is Light Buzzing?
When it comes to light buzzing, there are three main causes:
- The fixture
- The light bulb
- The light switch/dimmer
There are a few exceptions but in a majority of cases, the humming is due to a fault somewhere between these three components.
Fixture
It can be as simple as a loose screw leading to vibration in the fixture. To fix this, you’ll need to turn off the electricity and tighten all the components.
The other potential culprit is your ballast, which is a type of electrical resistor fixed in line with the circuits that supply power to the lightbulb. It regulates the supplied current, and an older ballast might begin to fail, causing an unintended amount of voltage to pass through.
The cause of buzzing often comes back to the voltage being supplied to the light. Improper or inconsistent voltage can cause it to make that worrying humming sound.
Light Bulb
Or it could be due to the bulb. Even if the light still turns on, it might be nearing the end of its life, and the filament can be so worn out that it creates that irritating buzzing sound. The solution is as simple as replacing your bulb.
Light switch/dimmer
Cheap or incompatible dimmers or switches can cause buzzing by interrupting and overloading the voltage within your circuitry.
This is most common for LED lights and it can be pretty stressful. Luckily, it’s nearly always an easy fix, as we’ll explore in the next section.
How to Fix Buzzing LED Lights
Buzzing LED light is a common and relatively easy-to-fix problem. It all comes down to where your problem is (the fixture, the bulb, or the switch/dimmer).
Let’s run through the three most common causes of buzzing LED lights and the easiest ways to fix them:
Troubleshooting the buzzing Dimmer Switch
Dimmer switch buzzing is the common culprit when it comes to faulty LED lights. Dimmers deal with a different sort of voltage to switches, and they send this voltage consistently to the light.
Cheap or incompatible dimmers are unable to handle this sort of strain over long periods, which can cause the bulb or even the dimmer itself to start buzzing. Put simply, the circuit is unable to handle the constant flow of voltage and this excess energy presents itself through a buzzing sound.
Even if the lights themselves are new, the circuitry might be much older and not designed for increased voltage.
It might seem pretty tough to know if it’s truly the dimmer’s fault, since all of the other issues we’ve talked about (like dying bulbs or loose fixtures) result in the same buzzing.
But as long as you feel comfortable with some basic electrical work, you can bypass the dimmer and do a proper check by:
- Turning the power off
- Taking the two wires off the dimmer switch (commonly black)
- Connecting them using a wire nut
- Turning on power to test if buzzing occurs
Note: Turn to an electrician if you have no electrical knowledge or you are not familiar with the operations.
No buzzing means that the dimmer is the issue. The simplest solution is to replace the dimmer with a switch. This guarantees no further issues later on.
However, if you’re particularly fond of atmospheric lighting, then the best step is to upgrade your dimmer.
LED lights require certain types of dimmers and older models designed for fluorescent bulbs or incandescent lamps are often incompatible.
Most LED bulb manufacturers will provide you with a list of suitable dimmers.
Change the LED Bulb
If you notice a buzzing coming from a singular light, then the simplest solution is to just replace the LED bulb. Unless it’s an issue with your dimmer or fixtures, then it nearly always comes down to the bulbs.
Replacing the buzzing lights with high-quality bulbs and tightening any potentially loose fixtures should be enough.
LED lights buzzing with no dimmer
We’ve spoken a lot about dimmers and how to fix them already. But what do you do if your LED lights are buzzing with no dimmer?
Well, it could be the light switch buzzing, in which case, you simply go through the same steps you would for a dimmer (bypassing it to check if it’s the issue).
Or it could be simultaneous use causing fluctuating power to your light bulb. If other high-powered appliances are on the same circuit as your lights, then it might overload them and cause them to make that buzzing sound.
Next time you turn on a microwave or heater, watch the lights around to see if they hum or flicker.
The easiest and best way to fix this is to ask your electrician to separate the circuits.
How to Fix Buzzing Fluorescent Lights
This can be a common problem, especially with old-style fluorescent lighting. There are two key things you can do to help with the buzzing light:
Fix or replace the ballast
The ballast is the equivalent of a fluorescent light’s ‘heart’. It regulates and distributes energy in the same way that a heart does.
If it is beginning to fail, then it might be unable to functionally limit the current and the excess energy might be presenting itself as an irritating buzz.
Replacing an old electromagnetic ballast with a newer electronic ballast is a common solution.
Adjust the fluorescent light
Sometimes the connection between your tube and the light can come loose. This can interrupt voltage or cause a rattling sound.
The first step is to check that the ballast mounting is screwed tight. Adjusting the fluorescent light should fix the connection problem.
If this doesn’t work, then replacing the light along the ballast is nearly guaranteed to fix your buzzing problem.
FAQs about Buzzing Lights
Here are some other questions that people usually have about their buzzing light. If you have any other questions, you can leave a comment below.
Is a buzzing light bulb dangerous?
Buzzing light bulbs are rarely dangerous and can be safely fixed at home. However, if you start to notice other signs such as flickering, frayed wires, warm outlets or unusual burning smells, then you should contact an electrician right away.
Why is the light buzzing when turned on?
Light buzzing can be caused by frayed wires, loose fixtures, or faulty bulbs. When you turn on an aging lightbulb, the voltage being supplied can be higher than intended. This can lead to that high-pitched whining noise. It’s important to note that it should only occur when the lights are turned on, as it’s the excess voltage that’s causing the issue. Fixing this buzzing is fairly easy, as long as you take the time to properly troubleshoot and determine exactly what the issue is.
