6 Important things that you should know about Electricity

Whether you've been hired to do it or are building it for yourself, building a new home can be an incredibly exciting and satisfying undertaking. There is no similar sensation to looking at a gigantic project like a house and feeling the satisfaction of a job done… but before reaching that stage, there are a lot of complications and obligations to fulfill first.

One of the main obstacles to building homes is electricity. Electrical installations are complex, technical, not immediately accessible, and can only be installed by professional electricians. Knowing what to do with the electricity in your facility can be the difference between a successful, fast and ergonomic construction, and a home that causes nightmares from construction to the everyday lives of its occupants. Here are the six most important things to know when planning and implementing electricity for your new home.

1. ELECTRICITY IS DANGEROUS

Electricity is very, very dangerous. This might seem like the most obvious thing in the world, but that doesn't stop 321 electrocution deaths in the last decade, and 62% of them are completely unintentional due to a mixture of poor understanding of electrical safety and other complicated factors.

Unless you are a trained electrician, do not try to do anything that is not explicitly stated how it should be done and under what conditions. Instead, you should contact a trained and qualified electrician if there is any work outside of your skill range. Don't risk getting hurt or something much worse; it is better to lose a couple of euros for an electrician than to lose your life.

2. PLAN AHEAD

One of the biggest problems people run into is not in the installation stage, but after installation when it is time to move in. When planning wiring, connection, and other facets of use, consider the livability of the home. Where would this element go to meet the needs of the occupants?

If you are visualizing an office in a room, give yourself ample power points and consider the locations of the computer or technical equipment that you will need to place there. Similarly, a bedroom should have usable plugs for any lighting, especially things like bedside lamps. Check with your electrician ahead of time to avoid headaches later.

In addition to this, feel free to talk about what you would like! Too many people keep a passive mind and mouth when it comes to their electricity. Tell your electrician what you would like and see what your options are, just like with any other part of the house.

3. PLAN BASED ON YOUR TECHNICAL LEVEL

If you are the type of person who employs a large number of technical devices, especially those with high purchasing power or always-on capabilities, and doubly if you are adding large AV setups, you should be sure to check if you need an advanced wiring system for your home. If you don't know what you are doing, much better to contact a professional electrician.

4. DON'T OVERDO THE LIGHTING

Create a lighting plan that uses both natural and artificial light sources and takes your living space into account. Having too much artificial light can mean that you are using a ridiculous amount of energy with no real added gain, while over-reliance on natural light obviously leaves you a bit stranded at night.

Besides that, remember that each light has a purpose. Don't put a big, glaring, indecipherable light in your bedroom, where you'll want to read or relax before bed. Consider putting something with an attenuator or something that can leak, or is not clearly directional instead.

5. REMEMBER THE OUTDOORS!

Your garage and the outdoors are two places that most planners tend to adopt quite bitterly. While people are often meticulous about their interior planning, when it comes to the backyard, people are more likely to throw in some sensor lights and take it for granted.

Keep some power points for anything like refrigerators, power tools, or even a "just in case" in your garage in case you ever want to do some DIY or buy an electric car. They will cost a lot more to install later, after construction, than it will while you're still building the house.

Planning for the future is a big part of home building, and electricity is no different.

In the garden, first consider how you are going to light it; be it with foot lights, overhead, proximity sensors, or whatever you ultimately decide.

Then consider what you will do with it in the future. Do you have expansion plans? Having the capacity of an outdoor kitchen, additional lighting, the capacity for heating or cooling, as well as any other modern conveniences will be a great addition, and a huge obstacle to do without.

6. KNOW YOUR SYSTEM

Knowledge is power. And the knowledge of power, probably even more.

Understanding your electrical plan from the inside out means you are assured of your own future tests, knowing your own installation limits, and ultimately being able to choose exactly what you need (rather than what you think you need).

It also means that you will be more informed about your options. If you want a lighting control system, for example, you need to know exactly what you are buying and installing before you do it, or exactly how much it can handle.

If you have any questions about these residential electrical installations or need any other type of services to set up your installations, do not hesitate to contact our experts from Sunstone Electrical,a leading electrical company in Newcastle.