Space-starved modern homes and the desire to play with mood lighting isn’t an unrealistic expectation. This is where dimmers come in. They allow one to control the level of lighting in one’s space to suit the required mood without relying on multiple lights and switches. With the popularity of dimmable LED lights on the rise, choosing the right dimmer becomes more important than ever. While the standard rules like choosing only a reputed brand, selecting only dimmable bulbs etc apply, here are the 5 tips that will help you choose the right dimmer:

#1 Choose one that is compatible with a slave switch for multiway dimming

With traditional rotary dimmers, one had to go around dimming all the lights one by one, an unnecessarily lengthy process. Modern dimmers allow for multiway dimming with their electric push buttons and compatible slave switches. This means that changing the brightness level of your home will require only one dimmer instead of multiple.

#2 Ensure that it can handle all loads

Most halogen and incandescent bulbs can be compatible with any dimmer, but other bulbs need special dimmers that work their own circuitry. That does not mean you should have to stick to the same bulbs or invest in a new dimmer every time you change your bulbs. You can maximise your dimmer’s usefulness by choosing on that works with a wide variety of bulbs and loads, especially LED. With dimmable LED bulbs now flooding the market, it makes sense to opt for a LED-compatible dimmer so that you can enjoy the right ambience for a fraction of the cost of a standard dimmable bulb.

#3 Can the maximum and minimum lighting level be set?

All of us dread the inevitable flickering that accompanies a traditional dimmer. Nothing ruins the ambience more than wondering if the bulb is about to blow or if the dimmer is at fault. Investing in a dimmer which allows for maximum and minimum lighting levels helps you avoid this particular issue.

#4 Ensure it comes with short-circuit protection

Nothing can be scarier than a short-circuit in one’s home, which makes choosing any electrical device, not just dimmers, with short circuit protection a vital necessity. A good dimmer with short circuit protection automatically turns off when a failure occurs, thus preventing damage and ensuring you can rest easy in the security of your own home.

#5 Check if it has over-heating protection

Another good security aspect to check before you purchase a dimmer is whether it comes with over-heating protection. This means that when the dimmer senses over-heating, it will automatically decrease the brightness of the light to prevent overloading. The dimmer restores normal brightness when the lamp has cooled down sufficiently.

The right dimmer can help you set the right ambience for your room without ghostly flickering, overheating or short-circuiting. Choose wisely and you will be rewarded with the brightness that you desire.