Lighting Controls

The lighting in and around your home might do a fantastic job lighting task areas such as kitchen counters, providing a warm ambience in your living room, and keeping your walkway brightly lit at night. But you may not be receiving the full benefit if you have not installed well thought out lighting controls.

Lighting controls can be as simple as a single light switch that operates an overhead light, or it can be as complex as a fully automated computer-controlled system with internet accessibility. Keating Electric can work with your lighting designer to give you the best lighting controls for your needs and budget, and our knowledgeable expert electricians can install, troubleshoot and maintain your lighting controls no matter the level of complexity.

Lighting Control Components

Your lighting control system is made up of several components, and each one has its own advantages. Several options of lighting control include:

The Switch

The most basic aspect of light controls is the simple light switch installed in a single location. Three-way or four-way switching, depending on how many switches are involved provides the ability to turn on a light as you enter a room from one doorway, and then turn it off as you exit through a different doorway.

The Dimmer

 Dimmers act the same as light switches in that they can operate a fixture from a single switch or there can be multiple dimmers acting on a fixture or set of fixtures, but the difference lies in the amount of light they allow the fixtures to put out. As their name suggests, dimmers give you the option of dimming the light to create the perfect ambience for any time of the day or mood of the moment.

Occupancy Sensor

Occupancy sensors act as a passive receptor of infrared light, which “sees” when a person enters a room. They can also be combined with a small microphone and be triggered by sound. When the sensors are triggered the lights are turned on for you, and then will automatically turn off lights after it stops sensing movement for a predetermined amount of time. This can come in really handy in places such as your garage, where you may be entering in the dark with your hands full and you don’t want to fumble with a light switch.

Motion Sensor

A motion sensor is also programmed to sense movement, but these are usually intended to be installed outdoors. Motion sensors are great for turning on exterior lights, such as lighting up your driveway when you get home in the evening, and they also act as excellent security lighting. Should someone come close to your home, your motion sensor would turn on whatever exterior light fixtures are connected to it, making the potential thief think they’ve been spotted.

Timers

A timer acts as a regular switch, except it can be programmed to turn the lights on and off automatically. Mechanical timers have a crank that you manually turn to operate, and, depending on the model installed, can keep the lights on for up to 12 hours before turning them off automatically. There are also digital timers that can be programmed to turn certain lights on and off at specific times of day. In fact, many of these devices can even be programmed differently on each day, so you can have lights operated automatically at different times on Mondays than on Thursdays, for example. One particular advantage of these timers is they can make it seem as though your home is occupied even when you’re away on vacation.

Smart Lighting Controls

As lighting control technology advances, Smart controls are becoming more user-friendly and more affordable. These systems can connect your entire home’s lighting system to the internet, allowing you to operate any light fixture in your home from anywhere in the world. Let’s say you have someone coming over to check on the dog while you’re on a Caribbean beach. You can hop on your lighting control system with your smartphone and turn on the exterior lights and the kitchen lights to make sure your dog-sitter can easily see where they’re going!

Keating Electric Installs Lighting Controls

Keating Electric has been installing lighting control systems of every complexity level in Westchester County since 1988, and our expert electricians bring decades of experience with them when they come to your home. We can work with your designer on your next remodel project or new construction to make sure your lighting controls are exactly as you want them, and you can trust us to get the job done right the first time. 

Give us a call today at 914 750-7759, and see our legendary customer service in action for yourself! Whether you need an entire internet-ready lighting control system installed, or you’re just looking to replace a single light switch, Keating Electric is your electrician!