I have a couple dimmer switches that my husband is using LED bulbs with...I don’t think the switches are LED dimmer switches...is it ok to still use the LED bulbs? He thinks it’s ok but he’s not really an expert on those things

 

It's not a good idea. If the dimmer is full on position then the LED will show at full brightness and most likely no harm done. But when dimmed via use of a non-LED dimmer you will get erratic action from the bulb and the electronics in both the dimmer and bulb. That in turn will stress the components and could be unsafe with prolonged use.

 

Ok thanks! So I should purchase some incandescent dimmer bulbs or swap out the switch.

 

Depends on what you prefer. LED's use less energy and are available in various Kelvin temperatures and in many colors changing modes (blue, red, green, etc...). But will the change in dimmer switch pay for itself? Most likely not.
Incandescent bulbs are what we have used for a 100 years. Cost a bit less but do not last as long. You pay for the exact wattage that you chose regardless of the dimming effect (100 watts are being paid for regardless if you keep it dimmed). Less Kelvin temperature choice. As time goes on incandescent bulbs will decrease in use and popularity.

 

I've never had any problems with dimmer reliability - it's more of whether they actually dim the LEDs or not. It depends on their design and construction. If they dim the LED bulbs reasonably well, I've never worried about getting a "LED compatible" dimmer.

More of the issue is that many older dimmers cause the LEDs to flicker at lower levels, or just shut-off completely below about 75%. I've never worried about the safety or longevity of them... but it definitely defeats the purpose of the dimmer if it's not dimmable.

 

Hi, I have had a regular dimmer on my LED down lights for a long time and have had an issue, worst case they will fail to work , then you replace.
JMO
Geo🇺🇸

 

Some electronic dimmers (especially remote control) will continue to pass a very small amount of current even when switched off. This may cause LED bulbs to continue to glow slightly even when "off". Using one incandescent bulb in a circuit that acts like that will eliminate the problem. This solution is better suited to a circuit with individual light fixtures rather than one fixture with two or more bulbs where the bulb differences may be noticeable.