How to Wire a House
Wiring a home is a challenging but worthwhile task. Familiarize yourself with things involved in wiring a home before you start this project. Make this your first priority because your safety depend on your ability to wire your house.
It is best to read the procedure before you start this activity. Never rely on cheap thrills. Your life should be your utmost concern.
Some Basic Wiring Tips:
There are wiring jargons used by electric experts. This field would require this knowledge. This is so that you’ll make it on your own.
Ampere - are the charge of electric particles. These are given by units.
Break panel/box - is the part of the wiring. It puts all your connections consolidated in a box.
Circuit - is a wiring system. It is controlled by the circuit breaker. This helps prevent electric overload. You should tape your wirings and connections using an electric or fish tape.
Circuit breaker- is the one that controls the circuit.
Main breaker - is the mother of all circuit breakers. This is where all your connections are anchored.
Some Basic Steps to follow:
Make a Plan. Do your best to stick with it. Organizing the step will help you a great deal. Every wiring project thrives only when you are able to plan it properly. Make a list of how you are going to approach this whole process. Set a working deadline.
You should be continually motivated to keep working. Monitor your progress. Break down your tasks into groups accordingly.
Complete your toolbox. It is your best friend for the duration of the wiring project. You will minimize your efforts if your tools are complete.
Ladders, screwdrivers, tape measures, hammers, circular saws, utility lights, safety goggles, utility knife, pry bar, chisel, wire cutters, drills, fish tape, wire stripper, cable stripper, testers for voltage and continuity, conduits, cables, wire connectors and many others comprise the very long list of equipment that you need. Familiarize yourself with their uses. Make sure you have them handy as you wire your home.
Establish your wiring pathway within the house. Switches, outlets and fixtures are not things you can randomly assign in your home. Determine beforehand the area to place them. Establish a pathway for your wires. A good strategy is to put the switches close to the door. This will make it easy to use.
Design your wiring as efficiently as possible. Make sure it does not obstruct the other elements in your home. Keep everything simple.
Evaluate the average consumption needed. Check the number of appliances you have. Include also the extensions. Know the voltage requirement of all your equipment.
These will include all the lights and other basic necessities in your home electrical setup. You will be able to estimate the daily voltage you consume each day. You can then decide on the size of your circuit breakers.
Check for existing connections. Make use of old connections from a previous residence. Do not be agitated to dispose of them immediately.
Check which are still working. Save yourself some time and energy. This is done by incorporating them in your newly established wiring system. Check first if they are still functioning properly. You can also check for parts that only need complete replacement.
Consult existing laws or Ordinances. This should be with regards to wiring. There are many laws governing one’s wiring endeavor. You need to consult the National Electric Code.
This will keep everything safe and within the bounds of habitable living. An example of the recommendations you can find would be involving the wiring of damp areas like bathrooms. There should be an outlet of circuit interrupters. This will avoid certain hazards in your home. One hazard would be to have direct contact of the current with the water. This is very dangerous. It will cause electrocution.
Different parts of the house are subject to recommendations from the Electric Code. Attics should have at least one outlet for lighting. There are also easements for the wiring of an attic. It should measure about 7 or 6 inches.
Switches for other parts of the room are not allowed to be installed in the bedroom. Detectors for carbon monoxide and smoke sensors are quite handy. It is explicitly stated for bedrooms.
Protect and gear yourself properly. Wear goggles when you work on your home wiring. Make sure one of your breakers are not turned on while you modify your wiring setup. Keep everything as dry as possible. This will keep you safe. It will prevent any disasters.
Drill, Drill, Drill! Drilling holes is part of the basics for wiring a home. Use the right tools and drill accordingly. Check the thickness of your wall. Make sure you neither drill too deep nor too shallow. Always check the size of your switches and fixtures. Always give a few millimeters as allowance.
Bring your cables. Never ever use a knife to change the appearance of your wires. Use the right tools as you bring your cables. Set them up properly in your home. Make sure the cables don’t fray at all. They should not also be subjected to conditions that make it less viable. It is imperative you check these matters.
Establish your circuit breakers. You should be very careful with them. Make sure they remain in top condition even after you have installed them. Ensure that you can solve the root of the problem before making any replacements. This is in case you encounter problems with your circuit breaker in the future. Have an extra circuit breaker handy as an extra safety measure.
Attach all circuit breaks to your main circuit breakers. Every wiring system in the room should have its own circuit breaker. This is to provide cushioning. It will prevent overloading of voltage or current. This is within the electrical system that you are setting up for your home. These baby circuit breakers should be attached to a main circuit breaker.
The main circuit breaker will be placed in your main electrical panel. This is where you have your main switch for your electrical supply.
Ensure that it has passed the Safety Standards. Safety standards are really very important. This daunting task becomes more intimidating to many because of the danger involved. Safety standards are present in the National Electric Code.
Test your wiring and tools. It is imperative you do this. Make sure you have tested the tools with a voltage tester. Check if your wiring project is actually working. Test it before anybody resides in your home. Never allow anybody to live there while you are still doing the project. This will ensure them of their safety.
Expense versus Effort: Knowing which Wins will help you benefit the most. Engaging in a do it yourself project is really fascinating. Always weigh the possibility of you doing an improper job out of it. Consider spending or shelling out more by hiring someone with both experience and expertise to help you in your first attempt.