Building a new home, whether it is a summer getaway that might get sold one day or a home that you will grow old in, it is essential to plan for the present and the future. Moreover, having built a home of your own is a significant achievement for almost everyone. Having your own space that you can call yours, the opportunity to meet your specific design and functionality requirements. It gives you the freedom to take on a brand new customized property, exclusively for yourself and your family. Likewise, the task of building this new home is not a piece of cake; it has many important factors to be taken into consideration for a better, safe future. People tend to focus mostly on the architectural components and the interior designing of their new home. What they unintentionally skip is the electrical considerations. Electricity being a vital part of our everyday life, we are here to provide you with 15 essential things, that you should take into consideration while doing electrical calculations for your new home.
1. Where to place those outlets?
As we all know, electrical outlets are a must-have in every household, for obvious reasons. Considering the placement of these outlets, and being creative and innovative while you place them, can be wholly exclusive and up to you. So, why wouldn’t you want to go the extra mile and bring in a touch of modernism into the standard elements of your new home?
Be creative, be inventive, be artistic, anything that would bring in the customized touch of your thinking into your own home. No, you need not worry about the electrician. A good electrician will always want to hear your creative notions and then consult with you to come up with a solution that allows the power outlets to facilitate the kind of home you want to live in.
2. Be Convenient
Consideration of any type means reflecting upon a particular idea. Likewise, while doing electrical considerations, it is essential to take into account the convenience of the electrical outlets and make sure that they are easily accessible. Whether you are in your bathroom or your bedroom, it is essential to place the outlets in convenient places, instead of hard-to-reach areas. Following are a few places for you to add to your list while placing those outlets:
- A bedside switch to control all the bedroom lighting
- Ask your electrician for outlets with four or even six sockets, plus a USB port to charge your phone, the advantage of which would be that you wouldn’t have to scuff your hands to reach the socket.
- Placing electrical outlets inside a bathroom vanity drawer would be very convenient as you can plug in and store electrical appliances such as hairdryers and electric shavers, as per your convenience. Moreover, adding a USB port would also be suitable, as it will allow you to charge your phone while you get ready.
- Put in the idea of adding fixtures on dimmers, as it will allow you to adjust the amount of light at different times of the day and for various occasions.
3. Energy Efficiency
Building a home is anyways very expensive, so you should be looking for ways to cut down your future costs, for a better and safe future. Setting up an energy-efficient home is an excellent way of taking into account a way to cut down on those future bills.
4. Lumens Vs. Watts
While choosing the best energy-efficient bulbs for your new home, make sure you know the right terms to be shopping for suitable bulbs. Watts on the packaging explains how much electricity a bulb requires to be powered, whereas lumens on the packaging refer to how much light comes from the light bulb. This way, you would know where to place which bulb. When the brightness is the crucial factor to you, lumens are to be considered. Conversely, when watts are your consideration, you will be focusing on how much energy you will be saving.
5. Putting up Solar Panels
One of the most efficient ways to reduce your electricity bills is by installing solar panels. Having your home powered by solar panels, your energy becomes domestic, giving you complete control over your accounts and energy usage. Solar panels are an essential electrical calculation that one must consider.
6. Using a Control System
This can be a very primary electrical consideration that people often forget to involve in their homes. Control systems play a vital part in moderating the costs of energy. Such techniques include operating the air conditioning, regulating the swimming pool, turning on the security alarm system while you are away, or even the simplest of all, controlling the lightning. Such systems provide you with the option of remotely controlling your system and being at ease whether you are in your house or away.
7. Energy management system
Home energy management systems are of utmost importance while calculating your new home's electrical considerations. Although they might seem complicated, they start as simple plug-in devices that control the electricity and appliance uses. The fact that electricity has fluctuating price rates throughout the day, such management systems would be automated on their own, to cut down on those bills.
8. Placing the Electrical main switch
While setting the breaker box, you need to make sure you are not ruining your home’s interior; instead, you are adding more value by bringing in more creative ideas to place those switches. Also, please put them in a place that’s easy to get to—for instance, using a wooden switch door to merge them into your wooden interior design.
9. Light switches
Placement of the light switches is a significant factor to be considered while building your home.
- Place the sockets at the start and end of the staircase, get a clear direction, and avoid any accidents.
- Light switches for closets, garages, basements, and attics should be placed outside of those spaces, in order to avoid any fumbling while looking for the switch.
10. Keypad and Doorbells
Had a long day at the office today? Don’t want to get disturbed while you nap? Consider adding an on/off switch to your doorbell so that you can nap without any disturbance. Moreover, have your electrician install a keypad entry option on garage/front doors.
11. Motion Activated lights
Have a tendency to forget to switch off the lights after leaving the attic, basement, garages, or pantries? It’s okay! While doing the electrical calculations for your new home, make sure to install motion-activated sensors to work on their own.
12. Placement of lights
While designing your home’s electrical system, it is imperative to keep in mind how you will be placing those lights, efficiently. Make sure not to place lights directly over your head, while you stand in front of your vanity mirror. Always place the lights on both sides of the mirror, for the best results.
13. Ceiling fans
Living in a country with varying temperatures, to stay on a safer side, it is beneficial to add ceiling fans to your homes. Look for fans that would complement your interior, adding to the attractiveness of your entire home. Plus, what could be better than cutting down your costs, while you and your hot-natured family members enjoy a cool breeze.
14. Safety
While building your new home, keeping your family’s safety into consideration is of utmost importance. Having toddlers or young children at old home means you will have to ensure that all electronics are child-proof. Tell your electrician of your safety concerns, and have him provide you with all the possible alternatives, to get to the best cost-effective result. Moreover, another safety measure to take into account will be the safety of your house. Make sure to involve CCTV cameras in your home for added security. It is an essential safety consideration to be added to the “to-do list.”
15. Smart Home
With the ever-changing technology, it is no turn up for the books that many households now feature smart technology, making their homes smart homes! Incorporating this outclass technology into your new homes will not just make it the ideal home, but also the benefits that come along are unquestionable. Smart technology can come in multiple setups, for instance, thermostats. To turn your heating up and down, all you need to do is, turn the dial simply, and Voila! To make things more simple, settings can also be adjusted with an easy to use the touchscreen.
Don’t forget to consider these electrical calculations, when you finally decide to build your new home! And yes, you are welcome!
