A soft start dimmer kit is a lighting mechanism that will allow you to control the lighting in your home. Instead of turning on the switch to one light setting, a dimmer kit will permit you to set up any light fixture to come on gradually as you turn the knob. Most people who utilize soft start lights do so in their living rooms, where they may want a variety of lights, but they will work in any room in your home.
Benefits of a Soft Start Dimmer Kit
Multi-Purpose Rooms
Purchasing the kit will allow you to set up the soft start system with any light in your home, even if that light is already installed. The soft start system allows you the opportunity to use rooms for multiple purposes. Media rooms are becoming popular places in family homes, especially in suburban neighborhoods. These rooms have audio and visual equipment. You may want the lights high when you have the music going but prefer a softer lighting, rather than no lighting at all, while you are watching a movie. A soft start dimmer is perfect for this situation because you can adjust the lighting to your specific needs.
Early and Late Arrivals
Soft start lights also work great in rooms that you may enter very early or very late. You can head to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Set the light so that you can see but do not feel blinded by a light bulb at three in the morning. The kitchen is another hot spot for lighting variation. In the morning, many people would like to ease into the day, which is easier with a dimmer kit for your lights.
Money-Saving Factor
You also can save money with the dimmer kit by using compact fluorescent bulbs. Because these bulbs have a shorter life span if switched off and on repeatedly, a soft start kit is a great idea to add even more time to their life. Be careful that you check the box as some fluorescent bulbs are not intended for use with dimmer switches.
Uses for a Soft Start Dimmer Kit
Functionality
The kits permit you to add the soft start feature for very little money. These kits are available in most home improvement stores, and you can select the one that works best for you. While the traditional dimmer is a knob, there are levers and other options available to make the dimmer more attractive and controllable. The knob is harder to control, especially after you have had it for years, but the lever switches are better at staying at the position you set.
Outdoor Lighting
Another place where you may want to use the soft start lights is outdoors. While most outdoor lights flip off or on only, a dimmer kit for the outside can be a good way to control the lighting in your yard so that it is dimmer when needed. If you opt for a dimmer kit for an outside light, then you should put it in an easy-to-locate place indoors. Then you can shine the light softly for someone to get into his car but leave it brighter while waiting for your teens to come home in the evenings.
Wall Sconces
Other types of lighting work well with dimmer kits, too. All types of light fixtures are options for a dimmer kit, but in some cases, the dimmer can add great ambience to your home. For example, wall sconces, which are primarily decoration, are one place you can put light fixtures. Since they are mood lighting, the ability to keep them very dim or make them brighter will give you more control over setting the tone of the room.
Here are additional types of lighting for which dimmer kits may be a good choice:
- Cable or rail (modern track lighting, long rails of lights along the ceiling)
- Table lamps
- Chandeliers
- Rope lights (colorful and varied lighting meant largely for decoration)
- Under cabinet lights
