A wall switch can be so much more.
The standard off/on wall switch is but one of many types available for someone putting a little work into his home. There are wall switches that can help conserve energy, adjust the power supplied to a light or appliance with great precision, or control many light fixtures and other electronic appliances at once. Whatever you want to accomplish with your wall switch, there is likely one designed with that purpose in mind.
Dimmer Switches
Dimmer switches give you precise control over the amount of power supplied to the device controlled by the switch. They can make a light shine at various intensities or a fan rotate at various speeds. These switches can be a cylindrical knob that has an off position; once turned on, the switch will supply an increasing amount of power to the light or other device as it it is turned further in the 'on' direction. Another common variation of this switch is a plastic wedge that slides smoothly up and down a track. Because dimmer switches allow lights and other devices to run at lower power settings, the switches can help to conserve energy and drive down electricity bills.
Occupancy Switches
An occupancy switch contains a motion sensor with a timing mechanism. These are useful devices for conserving energy without having to think much about it. These switches turn on lights and other electronics when the sensor detects that a person has entered the room. Subtle movements by the person in the room will keep the power on. When the person leaves, however, the switch will shut down power to the room after a certain amount of time passes without any motion in it.
Timer Switches
Timer switches represent another good way to conserve energy without having to think about it. These devices often contain multiple switches, each representing a predetermined amount of time. For instance, you can walk into a room and flip the 15-minute switch. The switch will supply power to the lights or other devices in the room for 15 minutes before turning off. The advantage of these switches over occupancy switches is that you do not have to stay in the room to keep the switch on.
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