With so much technology at your fingertips, you can easily automate your home to become a smart home. With just a flick of a finger or a simple voice instruction, everything in the home may be wired up to be conveniently scheduled for activation.

What’s great is that you can easily turn your humble abode into a fully automated or smart home. Try these tips and tricks to know where and how to start automation in your house.

Consider priority concerns in the home

Is security one of the priority concerns or is it energy consumption? How about coming home to perfect mood lighting and room temperature? Whatever your first preferences to automate are, start looking into options on how to upgrade.

Make an initial layout or list for your smart home

You don’t have to be an engineer in order to plan out how you would like a smart home device to be put in place. There are people who can help you install the gadgets that you need, such as closed-circuit television cameras, alarm systems, and automated lighting systems. All you need to do is make a rough layout where you need the equipment to be strategically set up.

For instance, if you want to use energy efficiently, you may want to schedule when to turn on (or turn off) the electricity in your home. With a smart home, lights and home appliances will be automatically shut off when you leave the house.

Explore your options before deciding on automation

Educate yourself on automation, especially on the do’s and don’ts. Find the most recommended tools or equipment that comply with safety standards. It’s also a good idea to ask friends, relatives or colleagues about their experiences in upgrading to a smart home.

Find a professional to help upgrade your home

After all the planning and research, make sure to tap the services of a professional who can help you with the home automation you desire. We at Wire Craft Electric are ready to answer your queries and respond to your needs. We aim to deliver service that is fast, reliable and of the highest quality.

Final Word

Imagine coming home to a relaxing ambiance with music playing, lights turned on, and the room temperature set to your liking. Those things are all possible, thanks to a smart home upgrade. Once your home is all set up, you will no doubt enjoy the perks of automation.

Just in case you need a help from a professional, you can contact Wirecraft.

Home improvement is a major milestone that any homeowner dreams of achieving. While remodeling the home is a welcome change, there’s one simple but critical issue that some people may disregard: electrical problems and safety. That’s why we thought it best to write about tips on how to prevent electrical problems when doing a home remodeling project.

Know what’s behind the walls to address electrical problems

Before taking down anything or buying new lighting fixtures, you need to know what you’re dealing with in terms of your home electrical system. Much of your home’s electrical circuitry is hidden behind walls, and so it’s important for you to know where the wires are and how they are arranged.

Address damaged parts of the electrical system

Remodeling your house may involve tearing down old walls and putting up new ones. This is a good opportunity to check the hidden wires and outlets for signs of damage and deterioration. If you see them, deal with them immediately by replacing old wires and removing corroded sections. Meanwhile, check if your system is compliant with current electrical code standards. Make the necessary electrical upgrades if they aren’t.

Shut off the power when dealing with the electrical system

While remodeling, it may come to a point wherein you need to handle electrical wires and outlets. Make sure that the main power is turned off before you start touching any electrical item in your home. Consider this as one of the most critical safety precautions.

Check if the remodeling project will affect the electrical system

Some home improvement projects may be relatively small and minor, while others involve a major overhaul. Regardless of the scope and size of the remodeling, you need to check if the changes will have an effect on your home electrical system.

Here are some questions that you need to answer:

• Will the home upgrade involve an increase in electrical load?
• Is there a need to reroute electrical wires to accommodate the changes?
• Do you need to install additional receptacles and/or outlets for your intended purpose?

If you say yes to any of these questions, then you need to consult with an electrician or electrical contractor. They will help you with all electrical system modifications. With that, call Wire Craft Electric, and we will be more than happy to receive your request and orders.

Make sure to never throw safety precautions out the window.

By making the necessary steps to prevent electrical issues, you’ll be able to enjoy your newly improved home without any worries.

10 Reasons DIY Electrical Work is Dangerous

Many of us fall into the trap of watching home improvement shows on HGTV or the DIY Network and thinking that we have the skills to tackle our home improvement projects. While we may be able to handle some things, like painting or tearing out a wall (that’s an excellent way to blow off some steam, wouldn’t you agree?), there’s one part of your home that you should always call a professional for, and that would be for electrical work.

Trying to do DIY electrical work can be incredibly dangerous, and even have devastating consequences.

Instead of doing DIY Electrical tasks, we have rounded up Ten Reasons Why You Should Always Call a Professional Electrician when it comes to electrical work.

Fire

An overloaded circuit, faulty connections, the wrong gauge of wire used (and more) are all common DIY electrical mistakes that can lead to overheating, sparks, and worse: a house fire.

Electrocution

We can all recover from hitting our thumbs with a hammer, but working with electricity doesn’t always give you the same chance for recovery. Touching the wrong wires together or not making sure the current is off can have potentially fatal results.

Code Violations

Without a full understanding, your work might not meet code. If you are making improvements to put your house on the market, you might be facing big costs for repairing shoddy electrical work. It’s best just to start with a professional to avoid any costly mistakes from the get go.

Building Permits

Most communities require a building permit for significant electrical work. If you don’t obtain a building permit to ensure the work is done correctly, you could be putting you and your family at risk.

Expensive Repairs

Even if you manage to survive the process and not start a fire, if you don’t do the wiring properly, it can fail. You’ll be required to hire a professional anyway, so you might as well put your DIY money towards a professional at the beginning.

Ceiling Fan Disasters

Installing a ceiling fan might seem like a simple process, but if done incorrectly, you could have a fan come crashing down on you. It’s more common than you think.

Outdoor Outlet Danger

If you put an outlet outside, it needs a ground-fault interrupter button. That will trip the outlet if there’s any water. Many DIYers don’t know this, and this mistake can be destructive and dangerous.

Overestimating Skills

Even the seemingly simple task of changing an outlet or light switch can go wrong. A loose outlet means wires can move around, which can lead to arcing and overheating.

Improperly Labeled Breaker Box

If the current is off to a room because the lights are off, you could end up with an injury. If you start working on wires that are still live, that is more dangerous.

Putting in the Wrong Products

Unprofessionally doing DIY Electrical? For sure you might not be aware of the type of wires, outlets, or switches. Using the wrong product can cause big problems.

When it comes to your home’s electrical work, your best bet is to hire a professional the first time around. This can avoid any of these costly and dangerous mistakes. Do you have any stories of times you’ve tried to be the professional electrician? We’d love to hear them, so be sure to leave a comment.

For electrical work in the Seattle area, contact WireCraft Electric.

We will complete your job safely and correctly – we’re here to help.