3 Way Dimmer Light Switch – Light up Your Life

Light is one of the fundamental needs of most people.  Over the centuries we’ve gone from relying on the sun to candles, lanterns, and eventually electric lights like overhead lights or electric lamps.  The bulbs keep changing too, with today’s popular compact fluorescents slowly forcing the traditional incandescent bulbs into relative obscurity.  And while plenty has been said about bulbs and the various options available as far as they’re concerned, one overlooked area that most should at least give some consideration to isn’t the bulbs that provide your home with light – it’s the switch that controls them.  There are numerous different switch options available today, from the standard one that we’re all so familiar with to dimmer switches and beyond.  One choice that can provide you with a unique option is a 3 way dimmer switch.

A 3 way illuminated light switch will still function similarly to those you’ve grown accustomed to all your life – one direction is off, the other is on.  But there’s a third setting between these two that allows for lower levels of light.  In short, you can choose from three basic light levels with a three way dimmer switch like the popular ones from Leviton Products. You don’t have to purchase special bulbs in order to get the benefits from a 3 way Dimmer switch and installation is as easy as following simple directions.  Little more is involved in installing one than turning off the power to it, following an extremely simple wiring diagram, and then reattaching the switch and plate cover.  That’s really all that there is too it, and most people have not trouble installing theirs.
While having three light levels is great, the neatest trick provided by a three way illuminated light switch is that it will actually maintain a faint glow whenever the light is turned off.  The switch itself lights up, using so little electricity that it’s practically imperceptible on your electricity bill.  This eliminates those night time stumbles to find the light switch and eliminates the need to leave a small lamp or night light burning so that you can find the light when you need it.  It’s perfect for a child’s room or a dark hallway, or perhaps even a basement or attic.
This basement and attic application is a common one for some using a 3 way light dimmer switch, and some will purchase a switch and wire it so that instead of staying illuminated in the off position it lights up when the light it controls is on.  This allows people to tell if they’ve left the garage, basement, or attic light on without having to open doors to check.  It’s another great way that these handy light switches can help you enjoy your home a bit more.
No matter what your specific reason for purchasing a 3 way switch, it’s a purchase that you’ll be sure to get plenty of use from.  With three different light levels, easy installation, the chance to find your switch even on the darkest nights, and a price that is much lower than most realize, adding one or more of these great switches to your home will help you get the most from it.  It’s a purchase you certainly will not regret.