Are you planning on building a house? If you have not undergone this process before, there may be things you are unaware of. One of the biggest hurdles can be electrical decisions. This can not only affect the appearance of your house, but can have an impact on your bills in the future. You don’t want to make a bad decision now that is going to cost you more money further down the track.
1. Where are the outlets going to be located?
There’s nothing more annoying than realising there are no outlets in a convenient spot.
To make sure you get this right, make sure you consult with your electrician. A good electrician will be open to your ideas, but will be able to tell you whether or not that will be achievable. Think about how many power points you want in each room, and where in the room they will go.
Doing this will mean you won’t be having to charge electrical appliances half way across the room.
2. Home security system
Are you going to have a home security system? Do you know whether it is going to be external or internal? Is this system going to include an intruder alarm system?
You will need to decide where you are going to place the cameras in order for them to be the most effective.
3. Smart home
Smart homes are starting to become more commonplace. When building your home, you need to decide what appliances you are wanting to control with a smart home system.
A smart home system allows you to control lights, power points, electronic devices and your security system all from your phone, tablet or computer.
4. Heating and cool
How are you going to heat and cool your house? Are you going to instal ducted AC systems or wall-mounted units?
You will need to decide which rooms you want your heating and cooling systems in, and make sure you have sufficient room outside for the external parts of each unit.
5. How much electricity you use
It is important to have an idea about how much electricity you and your family plan to use. This will vary from person to person, and will depend how many people are living in the house, and how often you are in the house. A single-person household of someone who works in an office will be very different to a family of four or someone who works from home.
When talking to your electrician, they will be able to help you determine the type of wiring and gauge.
6. How energy efficient is your house?
Once you have established how much electricity you and your family will be using, you want to make sure you are also being energy efficient.
With electricity continually getting more and more expensive, you want to make sure you are saving money where you can.
So how can you make your house more energy efficient?
- Use eco-friendly materials
- Incorporate natural light
- Consider how much wind or breeze the house will get
- Install LED lights
- Use timer switches on appliances
- Install solar panels
These tips will help you to ensure your house is as efficient and as well-planned as possible.
Do you need to talk to an electrician? Contact Maines Electrical today.