GOOD TO BE SAFE

Why is My Light Switch Getting Hot?

Is your light switch getting hot? Is it a dimmer switch? Dimmers get hot. This is common, the dimmer is working hard to dim your lights. But they should not be burn your fingers off hot. If you think your dimmer light switch is getting too hot, do a simple load calculation to see how many watts the switch is trying to dim. Add up all the watts on the switch leg. Remove the light switch cover and take a look how many watts your dimmer is rated for. It should be etched onto the front metal part of the dimmer.

More than likely it is rated for 600 watts. If you have 500-600 watts worth of lightbulbs on the switch leg, then the dimmer is probably getting really hot. From here, you can switch to LED bulbs to lower the wattage (if you do this, make sure your dimmer is LED compatible), or you can buy a higher rated dimmer switch, like a 1000 watt dimmer. If you have any other questions, go to www.thevirtualelectrician.com and schedule a virtual appointment.