Adding a Dimmer Switch to the Bathroom Light

Most of us prefer bright bathroom lighting for our morning routines. There are times however, when more subtle light is desired. Times like taking a relaxing bath or when the light is kept on for guests while the bathroom is not in use are times a dimmer switch would come in handy. The installation is pretty easy especially for anyone comfortable with installing a standard toggle light switch.

Step one to installing any electrical work is to cut the power off to the room. There are just too many risks to personal safety to do otherwise. Dimmer switch kits are available at just about any home and garden supply store and come with detailed instructions which should be followed carefully. This will ensure proper performance and ease of installation.

Dimmer switches tend to feel warm when in use. This is a bit surprising, at first but it is perfectly normal. Heat is generated by the electricity passing through the switch and it is designed to dissipate the heat out into the room which causes it to be warm to the touch. Were it not for this design feature, the heat would build up behind the switch eventually causing wiring damage and possible structural damage behind the wall. So, a warm dimmer switch is o.k. but, a hot switch is not.

Older styles of dimmer switches tend to feel hotter than new ones due to a difference in the way they operate. Older switches actually held the voltage back from the bulb which caused the dimming effect. Current dimmer switches allow the voltage through to the bulb but turn it off and on continuously at a rate we can’t even notice. This is what keeps the bulb from reaching its full level of brightness.

A person who is not comfortable working with electricity may want to consider having a professional or someone else who is experienced install the dimmer switch controlling the bathroom light fixtures. It is not a very complicated process and should take a professional a very short time to complete and not cost much.