lights flickering when switch is OFF

[terracore]

Our house is acting possessed.

We have a bank of four light switches, all of them turned off, and at least two of the ceiling lights occasionally flicker on.

Ideas?

[alaskyn66]

The common sense side of me says faulty switches ...on the other side... it could be a poltergeist.

[kalakoa]

Switches can (for lack of a better term) get "gunk" inside (sometimes this is fire ants).

Leakage will be more noticeable for CFL or LED lights, or when "regular" lightswitches are used for DC lighting ("not rated" but "works", sometimes for years).

Replace the lightswitch. (Meaning, of course, "hire an electrician" -- permits not required for like-kind replacement by licensed installer.) You may get better results with a higher quality switch, look for "spec grade" (at Depot, about 5x the price, individually packaged in a little box, not loose in the bin, and the switch will usually "feel" more "clacky" when flipped).

[alaskyn66]

I dare you to go to HD and ask where those "clacky" switches are.

[SBH]

Since it's a bank of four light switches you have to ask for bigly clacky.

[Kapoho Joe]

Fire ants.

[geochem]

I would second Kalakoa's comment - CFL and LED lights do behave differently from incandescents. I am by no means a pro in this but do play with fire when the need arises - and it occurs to me that you might want to check your neutral and ground lines to see if you are getting some voltage there...

[Mac2017]

Menehune!!!! They can be a little mischievous.

[kalakoa]

check your neutral and ground lines

Silly of me to forget -- I once lived in a "flickering lights" house, root cause was that neutral wasn't fully bonded to ground at the service entrance.

I naturally "assume" that any grid power is permitted, installed by a licensed electrician, and such shoddy work would never pass inspection, because rules are for everyone, etc.

[Mr nice guy]

Fix it before it burns.