Compact Fluorescent Light use with Dimmer Switches |
CFL's contrary to standard incandescent light bulbs, do not use heat to produce light. Instead CFL's contain a gas that produces ultraviolet light when excited by electricity. The ultraviolet light is converted into light you can see by the coating on the CFL bulb. Since a dimmer switch uses electrical interruption to dim the lights, it is not compatible with a standard CFL. A dimmer switch can cause the CFL to go out, can shorten the life of the CFL, and in rare cases can start a fire.
However, there a several CFL manufacturer's who make a CFL that is compatible with a dimmer. These CFL's have a listing on the packaging that states they are compatible with dimmer switches. They tend to be more expensive than standard CFL, but they can be safely used in dimmer switches.
 | Mercer County Energy Audits |
