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Loading...Whether you are planning a romantic dinner or want to enjoy family movie nights, a dimmer switch can set the right mood and tone. And this is important because the lighting of a room is probably the first thing you’ll notice. Insufficient lighting can strain the eyes while a room that is too bright can get uncomfortable.
A dimmer allows you to control the output of your lamp. With this device, you can reduce or increase the light intensity of your light bulb. And when paired with energy-efficient bulbs, a dimmer can help save more on energy and electric bills.
Before getting into the benefits of dimmers to your home, let’s briefly see how a dimmer works.
How a Dimmer Switch Works
We don’t want to blindside you with the science behind dimmers. We’ll, therefore, make it simple. As you might be aware, the flow of electricity increases the brightness of a bulb. Modern dimmers use a Tricode AC Switch, or TRIAC, to reduce the total amount of electric current traveling through a circuit. In turn, this reduces the light intensity of the bulb.
How Dimmer Switches Can Smarten Up Your Home
To make the most of dimmers, you’ll need to place them where lighting needs fluctuate. If you choose rooms where a light’s brightest capacity isn’t often required, you’ll enjoy more savings on energy and utility bills.
With that, let’s consider some places in your home where you’ll find dimmers more appropriate and useful.
Living Room
As one of the rooms often used, adding a dimmer to your living room can help create a theatre-style experience when watching favorite TV shows or during movie nights.
Bedrooms
After a hectic day of work when you are about to retire, dimming the light can help you feel more relaxed and transition to sleep mode quickly. That said, we recommend two dimmer switches: one for your ceiling fan and the other for lighting.
Bathroom
When taking a bath in the middle of the night, super-bright light can sometimes be harsh on the eyes, while low lighting is gentle. Bathing in low lighting can also help relax and prepare your body for bed.
Energy Savings
Traditional light switches are equipped with the “on and off” mechanisms. This system does not allow you to reduce the lighting wattage. In other words, you use either 0% or 100% electricity. A dimmer, on the other hand, enables you to control the wattage output of a lighting bulb. Reducing a light’s brightness will help save more on energy and electric bills.
When a dimmer is paired with an energy-efficient bulb, this further increases energy and saves cost. Dimming several light bulbs undoubtedly means more savings.
Controlling the Lighting System
Modern dimmers with remote control enable the homeowner to adjust their home lighting by pressing a button. This makes these devices more convenient to use.
Dimmers also allow the user to set and customize the tone of a room. When watching a movie, it may be best to switch to a darker lighting rather than full lighting. These multiple lighting options allow the user to create the ambiance of their choice.
The longevity of Light Bulbs
The higher the output of a light bulb, the faster it burns out. Using a dimmer to keep a light bulb lit reduces the time taken for the bulb to reach its highest point of energy exertion. In other words, a lamp that is burning softer will last longer.
Dimming a fluorescent bulb however, will not increase its lifespan. Instead, it helps create ambiance in the room and save more on energy use.
Dimmers with Home Automation
Through home automation platforms like Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings, you can do more with dimmers.
For example, you can control all or individual bulbs throughout your home. This is desirable when the couch feels comfy, and the switch is just too far from reach.
Note that the type of bulb in your home will determine what dimmer is appropriate. The best kind of bulbs for dimmers are halogen and incandescent bulbs, while CL dimmers can be used for LED bulbs.
Dimmer installation is also another part of the equation that should be handled by a professional electrician. Bearing in mind that DIY electrical installation is not for everyone; endeavor to use a qualified service professional for the job.
Once professionally installed, dimmers are easy to use and will turn your dumb bulb smart.
Wrap Up
Dimmer switches are great additions to homes. They enable you to have more control over your lighting sources. When paired with smart home platforms, they are more comfortable to use. If you’re looking to create a perfect lighting condition for your home, then a dimmer switch will not only smarten up your home but also help you save more on energy and electric bills.
If you need more smart home ideas, check our blog.
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