Using Old Dimmers With CFL And LED Bulbs Could Be Trouble [VIDEOS]

Using new Compact Florescent Lamps (CFL) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs with your old dimmer switches is not a good idea at all and could be trouble.

Fast paced technology has not only hit the digital world, light bulbs certainly aren't what they used to be.  Makes one wonder if Thomas Edison would even recognize today's generation of bulbs.  Yes they still light up a room, but the way they do is completely different than just a few years ago.

If you try to use CFL and LED bulbs with your old incandescent dimmer, the bulbs may not dim properly, flicker, or they may not even work at all.  Just because they can screw into the same socket doesn't mean the new bulbs have anything in common with their ancestors.  In fact, the way they work are completely different.  Not changing the dimmer could result in a host of issues, some experts even think, when the new bulbs are used with older dimmers, there may be overheating which could lead to fire.

Be on the safe side and have a qualified electrician replace those old dimmers.  They usually cost $20 or less.  You could save your home, but more importantly, a life.