Lighting Control Options for Calgary Residential Lighting

The right lighting setup is crucial for any home. Home lighting, when done correctly, can provide an environment with enough lighting to complete necessary tasks; enhance the look of a room and its decor; and to subtly create to a sense of ambiance. When deciding where and how to install residential lighting, home decorators, lighting specialists, and savvy homeowners take all of these factors into account.

During the lighting installation planning process, homeowners interested in convenience, energy efficiency, and home security should consider adding lighting controls to their Calgary residential lighting design plan.

Calgary Residential Lighting: What are lighting controls?

Lighting controls can be as simple as a dimmer switch or as elaborate as a panel allows you to switch between different combinations of task and ambient lighting with the push of a button. There are numerous types of lighting controls, which can be manual, automatic, or both.

Occupancy sensing lighting controls use technologies such as passive infrared or ultrasonic sensors. This type of sensor determines if there is a person in the room, and keeps the light on until an individual leaves the room. This type of lighting control is simple and straightforward, and can also save energy by up to 30%.
Light sensing controls are a second type of automatic Calgary residential lighting control. These lights are highly useful for areas that rely on natural lighting during the day, but require extra lighting once the sun goes down. This can create a seamless transition between day and night.
Time-scheduled lights are also automatic: lights or groups of lights turn on and off at preset times, or at intervals that have been programmed in advance.
- This can be useful for when areas need to be lit at intervals (for example, lights turning on as a gentle wake-up call in the morning), or to maintain the appearance of an occupied home for security reasons.
Dimmers allow individuals to adjust the level of lighting in the room.
- This is ideal for a room that is used by many individuals with different lighting preferences.
- It is also very useful in a room that multi-tasks, such as a living room or family room: the lights can be dimmed for a movie, or set to a brighter level for entertaining guests or having a family game night.
Pre-Set Lighting is a simple and convenient way to control multiple lights throughout a home. Homeowners can use programmed panels or a wireless device to toggle between different combinations of task, ambient, and accent lighting rather than adjust each light in the room individually.
- While the ability to customize a variety of lighting combinations and toggle between them with the switch of a button is useful for anybody, this type of lighting control can be an especially convenient option for a busy or shared home.

Calgary Lighting Products: Choosing the right option

Once you have decided what lighting controls best suit your needs, it is time to turn to a Calgary residential lighting expert or skilled lighting specialist to determine what lighting products are the best to make your design a reality. Each step of the way, there are many options. For example:

Although they may seem like a simple piece of home hardware, there are numerous types of switches, dimmers, and lighting control panels. These range from a simple flip switch, to a rocker switch, to a dial-type dimmer, to a slide dimmer.
- An experienced lighting specialist can help you determine which is the best practical option, as well as which would best complement the decor and style of your home.
There are numerous ways for homeowners to control their lighting system wirelessly. This includes both the use of remotes as well as controlling the lighting systems using a cell phone or tablet. Some homeowners find this particularly useful for when they are travelling.
Homeowners can use most types of lights with dimmers, however, it can be important to match the correct light type with the right dimmer. For example, LEDS or CFLs may require different dimmer controls than incandescent bulbs, and some bulbs lose efficiency if they are paired with the wrong type of dimmer system.