Electrics when building a new home

[edit] Introduction

Building a new home can be an exciting process. However, some people get so caught up in the décor that they neglect the essential elements, such as the electrical details. Unfortunately, the consequences could transform a dream home into a safety hazard. With that in mind, here are four important things you should know about electrics when building a new house.

[edit] Plan the location of your outlets

You might think that the location of your outlets is irrelevant, as long as you have one or two in each room to charge your phone. However, the location of your outlets could end up changing the entire layout of your room if you don’t plan this step thoroughly. For example, you probably want to place your computer desk opposite of your window, so as to avoid direct sunlight. But, if you don’t think about this before you start installing the outlets, you might have to choose a less convenient place for your desk later. So, make sure to consult with your electrician and map out where you’d like your furniture and outlets to be. This way, your electrician will be able to come up with the best solution to match your ideas.

[edit] Know if you need extra power

Technology is an important part of our daily life, and it’s getting more advanced by the day. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to see large audio systems, specialised gaming computers, huge TVs, etc. If you are a tech-savvy person who likes to have some advanced technology in their life, or if you are a chef who has a lot of kitchen appliances, it might be a good idea to find out how much power your home actually needs. If you find out that you do need more power, it may mean your wiring needs a professional upgrade.

[edit] Think about energy efficiency

Being eco-friendly is becoming more important, and while building a new home, you have a chance to do your part. For example, you can install smart thermostats, temperature sensors, smart lights, and many other electronic systems that can allow you to control your home’s use of energy. Some systems can even adjust your energy use to the price of power during different time periods of the day. This can save you money, but the impact they’d have on the environment, or rather, not have, is much more important. In addition, as many of them can be controlled remotely, they can also serve as an extra security measure that would deter thieves by making it look like somebody’s home.

[edit] Use customisable lighting switches

Lighting switches are often plain and boring, but they don’t have to be. They can serve as decorative elements as well, and you can get really creative with them. For example, you can opt for an LED-based control panel, or you can find something in a unique shape. The same goes for outlets. For instance, you can add USB charging ports to your regular outlets.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Ampere.
• DC electricity networks.
• Developing system intelligence for optimising building electricity networks.
• Domestic heat pumps and the electricity supply system.
• Domestic micro-generation.
• Electrical drawing.
• Electrician.
• Electricity supply.
• Glossary of electrical terms.
• Kilowatt hour.
• Micro-grids.
• Power factor.
• PV inverter.
• Subsidy-free low carbon electricity.
• The Future of Electricity in Domestic Buildings.
• The use of batteries to store electricity for buildings.
• Voltage.
• Watt.
• Wireless electric highways.

[edit] External links

• How to measure home energy use.