Lutron: Light Dimmers and Occupancy Sensors

There's a lot of talk these days about fancy LED "smartbulbs" that dim and change colors and can be controlled by smarphone apps. There are plenty of uses for these bulbs but, for now, they're still in an early adopter stage -- they're expensive (some are $60 or more per bulb) and potentially unsafe, as hackers may be able to access your WiFi network through the bulbs.

Luckily, you don't need expensive bulbs or WiFi hubs to save money with smarter lighting. All you need are light dimmer switches and/or occupancy sensors -- and Lutron is a leading manufacturer of both.

Lutron light dimmers come in many styles, including rotary dimmers, pre-set paddle dimmers, and more. These let you set lighting levels as needed rather than continually running lights unnecessarily at full brightness. Lower lighting levels save you on energy costs and can help to extend the life of light bulbs.

Why would you want to dim lights? At work, this might be useful in a meeting room during slide presentations when some light is needed for participants, but a darker room is needed to see the slides. If you happen to use them in your home, they can set a nice mood for dining. They also offer a gentler way to start or end the day. No more squinting under bright lights when you first wake up!

But dimmers aren't the only way to save money on lighting costs. Occupancy sensors help to ensure that lights are only on when they're being used. They can use various technologies (including multi-tech sensors) to detect movement or sound; many, like the Lutron occupancy sensor pictured here (and sold here), are based only on movement. This is adequate in many settings where occupants aren't blocked by walls or shelves within a room, as a good sensor like this one can detect subtle movements and keep lights on when needed.

While occupancy sensors are probably most familiar in business settings, there's no reason not to use them in a home. Parents forever frustrated with kids not turning off the lights have these as a solution for saving watts and saving money.

If you're looking for solutions to help you save money on lighting -- including dimmers, sensors, and even more efficient light bulbs -- Lighting Supply is here to guide you in your choices and help you with your purchase if you ever need a hand. Give us a call and see what friendly, experienced customer service can do for you!

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