Save Energy With Dimmer Switches

By Alexander Sanders

Today’s dimmers have changed the whole concept of lighting controls. With a wide array of colors and styles dimmers are now viewed as a stylistic statement and not just a device to turn the lights on and off.

Dimmer switches are very convenient for controlling lighting in a room, you can turn the light low for relaxing, or when you want it brighter, you can adjust the lights to a perfect setting. There are some definite advantages to having dimmer switches, and electrical contractors are glad to recommend them.

Energy efficiency is one of the main benefits of dimmer switches. Actually the energy that you save can be up to 98 percent, and this will also be evident in your electric bill. You can control the lighting in the room by presetting a dimmer switch to a certain level. The life of the bulb is also increased due to reduced lighting wattage.

Dimmer switches can be used in any room of the house, like the bedroom, bathroom or a secluded romantic corner. The control switch is relatively easy to operate; sometimes it is just a knob or a sliding switch. Nowadays remote control is used by many where just the touch of a button can change the ambiance of the room. This is one of the biggest advantages of the adjusted dimmer light switched lighting.

Energy Saving
When dimming a lamp the energy saved is as high as 98% of the proportion of unused energy. Because the human eye perceives light non-linearly, it is possible to reduce light levels by over 10% before the reduction in brightness is noticed. This would lead to a near 10% saving in energy consumption. A 50% reduction in dimming levels would save around 40% of the energy.

Intelligent dimmers ramp or fade a lamp to a preset level. This is particularly important when the lamp is first turned on. Incandescent lamps tend to fail at this point due to thermal shock of the cold lamp filament. By fading the lamp to the set level, also know as “soft start”, a lamps life is extended considerably. At 10% dimming, a lamp will last twice as long and at 50% dimming it will last 20 times as long. Voltage stabilization, available on more expensive systems, protects lamps against spikes and peaks in mains voltage.

Not all lamps are dimmable, some like compact fluorescent lamps, can only be switched on or off. However, energy can still be saved even if they are turned off automatically when not required. For example, during a bright day the lamps near a window can be turned off where normally they would be left on. A sensor that measures daylight provides an input value to the controller that will measure the value over time and use that information to switch or dim circuits to per-determined levels. A certified Conroe Electrician in the area will be beneficial in ensuring all electrical installations are done correctly. A Conroe TX Electrician should be trained in all aspects of home lighting and should be able to assist you at the drop of a dime.

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