People can hear the humming and buzzing sound from the LED lights in the bathroom, which comes due to faulty internal components and is sometimes annoying.
Why Do Bathroom Lights Make Noise? Bathroom lights make noise because of loose or frayed wiring connections, dimmer replacement, old ballast, electromagnetic interference, incompatibility of light and dimmer, and filament vibration. Moreover, it is due to faulty outlets or switches, aging of bulbs, carbon accumulation, and incorrect installation.
The humming and buzzing sounds are not dangerous but make the situation worse if you ignore them for a longer time.
| Reasons | Solutions |
| Loose or frayed wiring connections | Consult electrician |
| Dimmer switches | Use low-voltage lights |
| Old ballast | Avoid using magnetic ballast |
| Electromagnetic interference | Inspect devices present in the same line |
| Incompatibility of dimmer and light | Use high-quality dimmers |
| Vibration of filament | Use the low electricity-consuming fixtures |
| Aging of bulbs | Replace incandescent lights with LED |
| Carbon accumulation on electric outlets | Ensure the working of circuit breakers |
| Incorrect installation | Tighten the loose screws |
Loose or frayed wiring connections
The wires are connected to the bathroom light to supply electric current from sockets to illuminate their bulbs for light.
The wires can break because of their everyday use and their age. The connections also become loose because you switch the buttons on and off several times daily.
The insulation layers also get damaged due to overheating wires, which can increase the risk of short circuits and fire.
You can hear the low humming sound because of damaged or loose wires connections. The loose and damaged wires cause current jumping instead of its smooth flow.
You should call the electrician to fix the loose connections of wires and replace the damaged cables.
You cannot handle these electrical components if you do not know about them because it produces electric shocks.
Dimmer switches
People add dimmers with incandescent bulbs to reduce current and voltage consumption. Using dimmers is beneficial because they reduce electricity bills by reducing current consumption.
Incandescent bulbs contain the filament that heats up to produce the lights. Sometimes you hear the buzzing sound while sitting on the bathroom toilet from these lights.
The main reason behind this uneven sound is a dimmer switch that controls the voltage in the line.
The frequent cooling and excitation of filaments because of dimmer switches cause a humming sound. You should use low voltage bulbs to reduce the electric bills.
I prefer LED or fluorescent ones because of their strong filaments that do not vibrate.
Old ballast
The ballast is the central component of fluorescent lights. The primary function of this component is to provide high voltage current at the start and stabilize it by limiting current flow.
It manages the current in the fixtures and protects them from a blowout. The ballast stops functioning when it becomes old and does not manage the current flow.
The current restrikes are inaccurate, and you can hear the humming and buzzing sound in the bathroom when there is complete silence.
Moreover, ballast failure also comes due to high humidity and heat. The heat comes from the hot shower and bathtub waters.
You can also hear the sound because of the loose fluorescent tubes. You cannot fix the restriking of current by repairing the ballast fluorescent bulbs. The only solution is to replace them and install a new one there.
The bathroom bulbs are more prone to heat, moisture, and corrosion, so you have to replace them more frequently.
Tighten the fluorescent tubes by removing the diffuser.
Electromagnetic interference
Electromagnetic interference is the interruption in the flow of current and electric pathways. The interference comes from electric magnetic devices in bathrooms and emitting small radiation.
Many people have an automatic flush toilet that emits infrared radiation to detect the presence of people. These emitting radiations also cause interference in the flow of current.
The electromagnetic interference issues come from other fixtures in the same line.
Moreover, interference occurs due to mobile phones and other fixtures present inside.
It is better to inspect the other devices that are present in the same line to fix it.
Incompatibility of dimmer and light
The incandescent and fluorescent bulbs contain a dimmer switch for smooth functioning and less electricity consumption.
These do not contain moving parts that become loose, vibrate and produce noise. The uneven buzzing sound comes from the poor compatibility of the dimer and these lights.
Sometimes people purchase the ones incompatible with dimmer switches which cause issues due to restriking of electric current.
You should select products that are compatible with dimmers. It is also better to use high-quality dimmers that do not cause any issues.
Select the bulbs that are specially designed to work with dimmers.
Vibration of filament
Incandescent lights contain tungsten filaments because of their high melting temperature. This filament heats up and provides illumination.
The chances of wear and tear are common in these filaments because they are sensitive and delicate.
You can hear the buzzing sound from incandescent types because of the dimmer switch. The dimmers constantly add or remove the voltages to reduce energy consumption, eventually leading to vibrating filaments.
The worn-out filaments due to overheating and usage also produce annoying noise. In addition, electromagnetic interference from the surrounding objects also triggers the vibration process.
It is better to replace the incandescent type lights with LED that last longer and have fewer chances of these issues.
Aging of bulbs
The annoying buzzing noise from lights comes due to aging and over-usage. Over time, the connections become loose, and wires break, causing this issue.
The old bulbs burn out, and you can hear this sound from them due to the voltage supply. In addition, the voltage applied to the burnt-out components makes irritating sounds.
You can also see this affects the bulbs in the same line of your bathroom. You should move the lights with the dimmer switch to control the current flow.
I prefer to install light-saving LED bulbs because these also reduce electric bills and are more durable than other types.
Carbon accumulation on electric outlets
The carbon can build on the inner side of electric outlets and cause an issue. It hinders the smooth flow of current because of covered contact points.
The carbon comes from the electric sockets because of poorly insulated wires. You can identify the carbon build-up from the smoke and burn marks on the outlets.
The overheating and overloaded circuits cause carbon accumulation and hindrance in current flow. You can hear the humming sound because of the jumping of the current toward these lights.
Check the electric circuits and reduce the surge power supply issues. It is better to ensure the working of circuit breakers that they are controlling the voltage supply.
Incorrect installation
The humming sound from the bathroom lights comes due to their incorrect installation. The problem comes when these have loose connections.
The constant vibration because of their loose and incorrect adjustment produces the noise. People often replace them when they become faulty and do not install them properly.
In addition, the fixture also becomes loose over time and causes this problem. The loose and damaged sockets also interrupt the current flow and cause this problem.
Inspecting its installation if you face a dimming issue with this constant sound is necessary.
You can tighten the loose fixtures by rotating them for their fastening. The tightening method also depends on the type of light.
Related Articles:
