Light switch makes crackling sound when turned on

Snap, Crackle, Pop! Oh no! Not my light switch!

Save the sound effects for your cereal bowl. Are you noticing cracking/snapping sounds when you flip on or off a light switch? Or, did you hear a single loud pop? If so, there’s a good chance you need to replace your light switch. 

Don’t worry, SJ Electric is here to help. This article is to help you so you know what to do if your light makes any of these sounds when you flip your light switch.

How Standard Light Switches Works

Electricity is a continuous flow of electrical current. Its power is used to turn on your lights (obviously!). 

Your light switch consists of two terminals that when connected turns your lights on and when disconnected turns your lights off. When the switch is flipped “on”, the power supply wire – a black wire – connects the two terminals and lets electricity flow through to the lights. When the light switch is flipped “off”, the terminal connection is opened thus stopping the electrical flow.

What is causing these sounds to come from your light switch?

All electrical currents generate heat. This heat is contained by the rubber insulation you find around wires. If electricity escapes the wiring, heat can build up quickly, causing a fire hazard. Faulty or loose connections anywhere in your electric circuit may cause arcing –  where the current jumps through the air between disconnected wires.

Your light switches are used tens of times a day. This continual use causes the components in the switch to wear down or even malfunction as time goes on. If your light switch is not making proper contact between the two terminals when the switch is on, the power flow will not be constant. When you hear that hissing or crackling sound, you’re hearing your current arc. If you notice these sounds coming from your light switch, you need to replace the switch.

Call a professional when you need help

If you have limited electrical experience, you may be able to replace your light switch without the help of a professional. However, if you don’t have prior experience with electrical systems, you should leave it to an expert. Electricity can be dangerous and if you don’t know what you are doing you could not only harm yourself but also anyone in your home and even damage your property..

By calling the experts, you can diagnose the underlying issue and be confident in knowing that your problem will be properly repaired. This confidence is invaluable when it comes to your home’s electrical. Contact SJ Electric today!

Q. When I flip the light switches in my house, sometimes I hear a crackling, popping noise. Is this dangerous? Is new wiring required or is it something else?

A. The switches could be defective or worn out or the wires at the switch connections could be loose, causing arcing that is making the noises. There is probably nothing wrong with your basic wiring. Switches that make arcing noises can overheat, a definite fire hazard.

The safest course is to replace any switch that is making unusual noises such as hissing, crackling and popping. Switches are not expensive (avoid very cheap ones, since good ones cost only a few dollars each). Many switch replacements are done by do-it-yourselfers, although the wiring of some, such as three-way switches that operate a light from a couple of locations, can be a bit complicated.

The first step for any DIY electrical work is to turn off the current at the entrance panel. I never tamper with electrical wires without also testing them first with a circuit tester – an inexpensive tool with two probes and a light that glows if the wires are carrying current. When the electricity is off, remove the switch cover plate and the screws that hold the switch to the junction box in the wall. Grasp the sides of the switch and gently pull it out of the box. Don’t touch wires until you have tested them with the circuit tester.

Study the existing wiring before doing anything else – the location of these wires is a good guide to wiring a new switch. Simple, so-called single-pole switches might have only three wires – two insulated wires that carry current and a ground wire, which is sometimes not insulated. Note the positions of the wires and mark them with masking-tape labels if necessary. Loosen the screws that hold the wires in place. If the ends of the wires are damaged or nicked, cut off the damaged piece and expose about three-quarters of an inch of new wire. Some new switches have brass screws to attach the wiring – large screws for hot wires and a small screw for the ground wire. Wires are attached under screws by bending the ends into hook shapes and tightening the screws clockwise. Many new switches have small holes into which straight wire tips can be inserted to make the connections – a time-saving feature.

A couple of other tips: Most new switches are installed so they are “on” when the switch lever is in the up position. If a lever-type switch makes a single clicking sound when turned on or off, it is not necessarily defective; listen for other, more unusual noises before tossing out the switch. Finally, if in doubt about how to wire a switch, call an electrician – don’t try to muddle through.

Q. There is a slight leak around one of the nuts on a sink trap in my bathroom. The plumbing is old and when I tried to remove the nuts to replace the trap, they wouldn’t budge. I know it is best to replace the nuts, but I’m afraid of breaking other pipes. I have a pan under the trap now to catch the drip. Is there a way to seal the leak? I don’t want to pay a plumber.

A. Replacing the trap nuts, washers or gaskets under them, and possibly the trap itself, is by far the best solution. Sometimes when a nut seems balky, you can apply enough pressure to loosen it by using force in the opposite direction on the same pipe. This requires two wrenches or pairs of adjustable pliers, one for the nut and one to grip the pipe. Paying a plumber isn’t a bad alternative, if necessary, when you consider that even a slight drip under a sink can cause severe damage to the floor.

But if you want to try and seal the leak, you can probably do so with a product called Goop, which is sold at many home centers and hardware stores in a toothpaste-type tube. I don’t recommend Goop for leaks in pipes where the water is under pressure, such as your water supply pipes. However, the trap under a sink is normally not subject to great water pressure, just the water running out of the sink. Goop is sticky and much like thick glue. It has a rubbery consistency when dry. Lightly sand the area where you will put the Goop and wear plastic gloves while applying it. The surface must be dry and clean and you must give the Goop at least 24 hours to set up. Spread a bead of Goop all around the nut. Goop can generally be scraped or picked off with the point of a knife if it eventually becomes necessary to remove the nut.

Keep the tray under the leak area for a week or more until you are sure the leak is stopped, then check periodically for leaks. A more permanent – and much more difficult-to-remove repair material – is epoxy putty, which dries rock hard and can frustrate even a plumber.

Questions and comments should be emailed to Gene Austin at . Send regular mail for Gene Austin to 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422.

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