Household wiring is a challenging task to master, and it can be dangerous if you do it improperly. To help you avoid an electrical fire or injury, CableWholesale has compiled basic house wiring suggestions for beginners and safety tips. With these, homeowners with a lack of experience in cabling can save themselves from installation fees. With enough time, patience, and the right wiring accessories, you’ll give your home a flawless wired setup.
Types of Wires You’ll Need
People most commonly use nonmetallic, or NM, wires for household wiring. NM wires consist of two or more individual wires. Manufacturers wrap these wires in protective plastic sheathings for safety and performance purposes.
There is a wide variety of NM wires on the market, so it’s crucial to determine which one your home needs. For example, larger circuit wires are incredibly hazardous, as they carry circuit voltage. You should only incorporate them into your wiring setup when necessary.
Other Wires You Might Have at Home
When it comes to wired network setups, most homeowners will use Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cables. For home entertainment systems, it’s common for HDMI cables to come into play.
How To Connect Electrical Wires
To begin connecting electrical wires, you’ll need to assess the wiring cable’s features. Identify the outer sheathing, otherwise known as the cable’s jacket, and the inner wires. Markings on the jacket will inform you of the cable number and the gauge of wires inside. Different jacket colors indicate different household purposes. One of the essential basic house wiring suggestions for beginners is to familiarize yourself with this color code.
- Black wires: They carry electrical currents from the service panel to an outlet or device.
- Red wires: Also called “hot wires,” red wires help with smoke detectors’ communication. If one goes off, the wired connection ensures the rest do, too.
- White and gray wires: These wires often carry currents throughout the house. Though dubbed “neutral,” they can still cause a shock, so be careful.
- Green wires: These wires bridge the gap between an outlet box and an electrical panel. Green wires can only connect with other green wires.
How To Avoid Common Wiring Mistakes
Electrical wiring mistakes could cause a serious accident. Avoid common wiring mistakes that promote your household’s safety by adopting the following tips.
- Don’t connect cables outside of electrical junction boxes.
- Avoid cutting your wires shorter than three inches. This will make handling them safer and easier.
- Veer away from using unstable outlets and switches.
- Utilize a cable clamp to reduce the chances of damaging wire insulation.
For All Your Wiring Needs
CableWholesale specializes in all things cabling. We have various high-speed HDMI cables with Ethernet for creating the ultimate home entertainment experience, as well as wiring accessories to help you keep a tidy setup. With wholesale power supplies, such as power cords and surge protectors, you can safely monitor your electrical usage.
