Why should I install eco-dimmers when I already have a lighting control system?
You will have greater flexibility with your lighting control system. Dimmers allow you to manually intervening in the pre-programmed lighting sequences and make fine-tuned adjustments at will. You can either do this to achieve more specific ambiance suitable to a certain special occasion, or you can manipulate lighting levels to blend with natural light coming in through your windows. Dimmer controls in the kitchen, for example, allow you to set lighting levels to a soft glow that compliments the growing light of the rising sun. If you are hosting a party in the dining room, you might want to dim the lights for a special moment, such as blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. It is even possible to control the entire house with a more sophisticated lighting control system.
Install a dimmer in your kitchen, for example, and you can brighten lights at breakfast or when preparing meals, and lower them to catch up with your family over an evening snack. In the bathroom, a dimmer means you don't have to begin your morning routine in full bright light, but rather in a soft glow to help you ease into your day. Dim the lights in your dining room or living room you can create the perfect atmosphere for entertaining friends.
How do dimmer controls work?
Incandescent and halogen bulbs produce light by passing current through a thick metal wire called a filament. When the filament heats up, it produces light. This is not the most efficient way to produce light, and it has its drawbacks. A great deal of current has to go into the filament to heat it to this level, and the heat itself deteriorates the filament over the course of time.
Dimmers actually interrupt the current to prevent as much heat, and therefore light, from being produced. This happens to fast for the eye to see, so the rather than the light going on and off, it simply appears to emit less illumination. If you are remodeling or involved in new home wiring, now is a good time for considering a Lutron dimming system.
How much energy does a dimmer switch save?
Dimmers on the average have saved people a minimum of 5% on electrical costs. New eco-dimmers by Lutron have improved this minimum considerably. With the new Lutom home lighting control dimmers, you can expect to reduce your electrical consumption, and therefore power bills, by a minimum of 15%.
If you are using older model dimmer controls, consider the fact that upgrading to new eco-dimmers will rapidly recover your investment through additional savings.
How much money can I save with eco-dimmers?
Lutron estimates approximately $40.00-$150.00 per dimmer over a 5-year period. Of course, this number varies on how many bulbs you control with the dimmer, the type of lighting control system you install, how often you have your lights on, and the degree to which you dim them.
Are there green benefits to using eco-dimmers?
Yes. By regulating incandescent lights more efficiently, eco-dimmers reduce CO2 emissions. In fact, if every home in the U.S. had only one Lutron wall box dimmer installed, it would eliminate CO2 emissions equivalent to that of 370,000 vehicles.
Landfill waste is also reduced thanks to eco-dimmers, because they will extend bulb life up to 10 years.
Is a dimmer difficult to install?
No, it does not take advanced electrical installation skills. but it is best to have a professional install your dimmers in conjunction with a lighting control or home system integration network. Contact ILD for a free evaluation on which of our many system integration packages will best meet the needs of your home and lifestyle.
Where are your main offices?
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and design services in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond. Call us today at 713-863-1133, visit our lighting blog or request a consultation online using our contact us form.
Labels: Energy Saving Switches, Houston Electrical Contractors, Lutron Dimmer Switches, Lutron ECO-DIM Home Lighting Controls
Wallbox dimmers are the basic building blocks of modern day light controls.
Wallbox dimmers by Lutron can be installed to replace standard light switches in every room of the house. This will place total control of lighting and power levels directly into the hands of the individual, and it will allow the homeowner to immediately begin saving money on electrical costs without having to replace every light in the home. This is important, because every homeowner only has two choices: retrofit the lights themselves with led or fluorescent fixtures now, or install wallbox dimmers and a lighting control system that will make incandescent lights less expensive to use and generate a return on investment that can be reinvested in new lighting fixtures when the new ban on incandescent lighting takes effect in 2010.
With the growing popularity of fluorescent lights as energy saving alternatives to incandescents, many people will opt to take the easy path of simply replacing their light bulbs rather than first considering the advantages of a Lutron wall box or Lutron Radio Ra light dimmers can offer them as the first step toward a whole new level of light. ILD encourages you to consider these options before spending money on new bulbs. It is important to realize that truly livable and enjoyable home environments depend greatly on aesthetics. While it is an established fact that one 13watt fluorescent bulb will give you the same amount of light as one 60-watt incandescent light, it is also a fact that standard fluorescent recessed lights are not compatible with dimmer switches or low voltage wallbox dimmer control units. The cause of this incompatibility lies within the design of a fluorescent bulb itself.
A fluorescent bulb requires less energy than an incandescent bulb because a magnetic ballast controls the flow of current that powers the bulb. This ballast allows the bulb to produce more light with less electricity, making it a very cost effective alternative to incandescent. Beyond cost benefits, though, fluorescent bulbs are limited in a number of ways. As we have stated, standard ballast technology is incompatible with wall box dimmers and therefore prohibits direct control of lighting levels. This is why fluorescent lights are mostly used in utility rooms and commercial buildings where decorative effects are not needed and a fixed level of functional light is all the facility requires. However, even in some commercial lighting projects, fluorescent lights have their limitations. They are not appropriate for green retrofit options, and they offer little aesthetic to homeowners unless fitted with very expensive dimming ballasts and matching fluorescent dimmers to make them work in tandem with wallbox dimmers.
Fluorescent lights add little or no aesthetic to home lighting design unless they fitted with very expensive color correcting lamps. Again, such exorbitant expenses are better spent on a lighting control system and Lutron wallbox dimmers that can reduce your power bills today now and still be compatible to any new lamps, fixtures, bulbs, or lighting control system software upgrades you invest in over the next two years.
Line voltage dimmers will make incandescent bulbs more energy efficient by performing a very similar function to that of fluorescent ballasts. At the same time, they enable you to turn existing home lights into an aesthetically pleasing lighting control and home automation system that will give you the ability to manually adjust the light to whatever levels he or she desires.
When the ban on incandescent lights becomes effective in 2010, all house lighting fixtures based on incandescent technology must be replaced with either LED and hybrid fluorescent equivalents. By that time, hybrid technology will probably have developed to a point that any Lutron wallbox dimmer can easily manipulate whatever type of light bulb retrofit you install in your home. However, the timing of multiple investments should always be considered, especially in today’s recession. Wallbox dimmers installed now will save you money on power both now and in the future. They will also increase the decorative appeal of your home by making it possible to create a more warm, ambient, and entertaining environment for children, relatives, and friends. When you do replace your existing bulbs in the future, you will be adding them to a home that is already optimized for function, aesthetic, and control with a Lutron Grafik Eye lighting control installation by experts.
Why not call a lighting control specialist at ILD to discuss the cost saving benefits of a Lutron wallbox dimmer versus an arbitrary retrofit of all the lights in your house? Get the aesthetic right and the lay the foundation for a whole new type and quality of lighting, and then let alternative technologies catch up with lighting design and control systems for a more robust, user friendly, and multi-dimensional lighting system come New Years Day of 2010.
Illuminations Lighting Design is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting, electrical service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters, emergency generators, surge protection systems, phone systems and lighting control systems.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and design services in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond. Call us today at 800-863-1184, visit our lighting blog or request a consultation online using our contact us form.Labels: Energy Saving Switches, Houston Lighting Controls, Lighting Dimmers, Lutron Dimmer Switches, Lutron Electronics, Lutron lighting controls, Wallbox Lutron Dimmers
