Review Your Security Options During a Renovation Project
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, burglary incidents have stayed steady in the last ten years. Dig down through the statistics, though, and you’ll see that the dollar amount of goods lost through each burglary has steadily risen. You may not be more likely to have a break-in at your home, but it’s almost certain that you’ll lose much more when it happens.
The bigger problem is that only 10 percent of the burglaries reported result in an arrest. Most burglaries are found after the fact. Police can just come out, take a report, and hope for the best. You’ll need that report for your insurance claim, but it won’t do you any good when it comes to recovering your stolen property.
The solution to this is to have the police be notified while the burglaries are in progress. And this means having a serious security system in your home or business, connected to the security company and to the local police department.
When to Install a Security System
When you’re doing any type of electrical renovation in your home or business, it’s the perfect time to review your security questions. Any electrical project plan can be improved by adding security details. You’re going to be removing walls and rewiring rooms anyway; you might as well put in a security system along with your electrical upgrade.
Consult with your West Palm Beach electrician. He’ll know the types of security system details that work well with your type of building, and will have suggestions for the best ways to incorporate them in your electrical renovation project.
Types of Security Options to Consider
The most common type of security option most people think of is a whole-house security system. This type of setup wires doors and windows with sensors, and will set off an alarm if any entrance to the building is opened without turning the alarm off shortly afterward. Most systems are wired directly to monitoring companies that are trained to alert the authorities once an alarm has been sounded. If your home or business has been broken into, this is the best way for police to catch the burglars in the act.
Another type of security option relies on passive security – making your building look so unattractive, the burglars go elsewhere to commit their crimes. Most of these systems rely on various kinds of security lighting. Burglars rely on stealth and secrecy in order to get away without being caught. They tend to pick the easiest targets in the neighborhood. If your home is brightly lit, thieves are more likely just to move on, all things being considered. It’s simple to add security lighting to your electrical renovation plans. Some of the more common options are:
- Flood lights outside the house, with or without motion detectors
- Lighting under the soffit on your building, which lights up the entire exterior
- Interior light timers that turn lamps on and off, simulating the look of someone being home
Pros and Cons of a Security Lighting Upgrade
Adding a security lighting system to your home renovation project can give you peace of mind and financial benefits, but it can cost quite a bit of money at the beginning. You’ll have to consider what maintenance you’ll need to do with your system each year and factor that in when weighing the pros and cons of a security system.
Speak with security experts or someone from your local police department for local crime statistics. In most cases, installing a new system will more than pay for itself between the decrease in stress and the increase in safety it affords.
Read More4 Exciting Electrical Gadgets for Your Bathroom
If you thought water and electricity didn’t mix, think again! These days, there are plenty of electrical gadgets on the market that are designed to be safe for use in the bathroom. Not only that, but bathrooms are finally getting some much needed attention in the arena of smart fixtures and fittings, and some of the new ones truly are amazing! If you’re looking for something awesome for your bathroom, or are doing some electrical remodeling, here are some options to consider.
Read More5 Types of Electrical Remodeling to Consider
When you are renovating a home, chances are there are going to be some electrical remodeling tasks that you consider doing. Whether it is for energy savings, safety or aesthetics, you need to consider whether the things you are considering changing are a want or a need, and assign your remodeling budget accordingly. Here are some of the best electrical remodeling options you could choose.
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A Bigger, Better Panel
If your remodel includes any additions or changes to your home that will require more outlets, fixtures or appliances, or place more load on your electrical, then you may find that your current panel is too small to accommodate the changes you want done. Or you may find that your panel is able to cope, but only just. If you have an electrician on site, and there is any chance that you are going to need a bigger panel, it is always better and cheaper to do it at the same time as other work on site.
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Wired Smoke Alarms
Another great addition to your home renovation plan are hardwired smoke alarms. These are basically the same as your regular battery operated alarms, but instead of having batteries that you need to replace from time to time, they are hard wired into the electrical in your home. That means you will never forget to change the batteries, and you will always be monitoring your home.
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Add Solar or a Backup Generator
When you have an electrical company on site for renovations, it’s a good time to add a solar power system or a backup generator. A solar panel system could allow you to be partially or totally off the grid for some or all of the year, while a generator can ensure that you have power during those Florida storms.
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Upgrade Your Wiring
This one is not so much an option as a necessity if you have old wiring. Homes that have old wiring are susceptible to fire, and it is too much of a risk to keep it once you know it is there. This is definitely something you want to time to ensure that it happens while you’re in the middle of renovating a home, as it’s likely that drywall will need to come down to access all the wiring.
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Add Outlets and Fixtures
If you are upgrading an older home, then it is likely that you do not have enough outlets in each of the rooms, and changes are you have lighting plans that require additional fixtures. These are exactly the kinds of electrical remodeling you should do while you are in the process of a larger renovation, to save time, effort and money.
Electrical is one of the hidden systems in your house that you hardly think about, but which works hard for you. With the savings in time and money that come from bundling your electrical remodeling with a renovation, it is certainly worth considering which kinds of electrical upgrades your home needs, and including them in your renovation plans.
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What Does it Cost to Upgrade an Electrical Panel?
The electrical panel in your home or business is where the electricity to the building is controlled. Different panels are able to handle different amounts of electricity flowing through them, and older panels traditionally are rated for far less power than newer models. This type of electrical upgrade cost depends on a number of factors, from local labor costs to the state of your building’s wiring system. Compare the cost vs. the benefits to decide if an electrical upgrade is right for you.
Read MoreUnderstanding the Electrical Components of Building a Custom Home
When planning your dream home you’ll probably draw up a portfolio showing new bedrooms, a dedicated outdoor kitchen, or even a fully finished apartment in the basement. Custom homes are exactly what you want them to be, with virtually no rules about what to include. The electrical components of your house plan might seem like the boring part of the project, but new construction electrical details determine how you’ll enjoy your new home throughout the year.
Backup Power
Power outages are a fact of life in southern Florida, between tropical storms, lightning strikes, and aging infrastructures. One of the smartest additions you can make to your custom home plans is elements for a backup power supply and protection from blackout damage. Sudden power outages can endanger computers and other delicate electronics, while prolonged blackouts can cause dangerous heat in the summer and loss of frozen food throughout the year. Some of the additions you may add to your plan are:
- A backup generator. If you’ll only need to power a refrigerator, air conditioner, and some lights, a portable generator may be all you need. For larger power needs such as medical machines and whole-house convenience, this is the time to build in a permanent backup generator.
- Dedicated circuits. With the computers in the house on a separate line, they’re less likely to be damaged from storm-related surges when the power goes out, and also when it comes back on.
- Surge suppressors are good for temporary power outages, preventing large surges of electricity from burning out delicate components.
A high-end circuit breaker is necessary for electronics safety, as are emergency lights for outdoor use during power outages.
Wiring New Construction Electrical Projects
The best time to put wiring into a home is before the walls have been built. You might be thinking of installing cable to multiple rooms in the house, but a fiber optic system will provide lightning fast data for not much more money. As a bonus, fiber optics keep working when the electricity goes out, unlike ordinary cable.
If you work at home, you may want to consider building an ethernet cable into the office or spare bedroom. The wiring for a computer network is also a good idea, even if you don’t think you’ll use it right away. It’s always harder to install residential electrical systems after the fact, and it will sit in the wall, passive, until you decide to start creating the network.
Entertainment
If you’re a movie buff, love your stereo equipment, or you have children, a dedicated entertainment room can be a serious choice. Gather all your equipment into one room that’s equipped with datacomm lines, extra electrical outlets for multiple pieces of equipment, lighting with dimmer switches, and even dedicated outlets for a small refrigerator and popcorn maker. New construction electrical systems don’t have to all be about technical details; sometimes they’re just about making your daily life better.
Lightning Protection
Lightning is a fact of life in Florida, the state that gets more lightning strikes than any other in the country. The odds are good that lightning is going to strike somewhere near your house sometime in the future. Installing lightning rods, or air terminals as they’re called today, is the best way to prevent fire and physical damage to your home when it happens. Today’s lightning protection is so small and subtle you probably won’t notice it when you see it, but it packs a large amount of protection in that little footprint. Most custom homes include elaborate landscaping features, and your new construction electrical contractor can add copper lighting diverter lines connecting the largest trees to the ground, leading dangerous lightning from your treetops to a safe spot away from your home.
Read More7 Great Kitchen Lighting Ideas to Consider
One of the least expensive ways to make a big impact with your home renovation project is by changing your kitchen lighting. By just switching out the lamps and adding new lights in different places, you can completely change the mood of the room. Go from plain to pizzazz by trying one of these unique kitchen lighting ideas:
Idea #1: Under Cabinet Lights
Install a set of lights underneath your kitchen cabinets. These lamps add ambient light to the room, plus can serve as task lighting for kitchen prep work. Attach the electrical wiring against the bottom of the cabinet and you can have the entire system installed without drilling holes or breaking into the walls. A modern looking makeover for minimal money, this decorating scheme is as practical as it is attractive. It’s most effective if you use smaller lights that hide behind decorative molding, beaming down on the counter without being seen.
Idea #2: Use Chandeliers
The more elaborate, the better. Be it crystal or stainless steel, modern or antique, a chandelier adds just enough personality to make your kitchen pop. This option is great if you’re renovating your kitchen. You can have your residential electrical contractor install this instead of the same old boring kitchen lights that have graced every ceiling you’ve seen since childhood. Chandeliers are just different enough to show off your decorating style, yet they do the job of lighting up the room perfectly. Bright enough to light kitchen tasks and large enough to spread ambient light throughout the room, look to living room lighting fixtures to find your next kitchen lighting.
Idea #3: Set the Stage
Every kitchen’s got a few spots that get all the attention: the sink, that portion of the counter that holds a cutting board perfectly, maybe a spot right next to the oven. Instead of relying on ambient lighting to get the job done in these spots, install some bright task lighting dedicated to lighting up these areas. Have your contractor install them on separate switches so you can turn them on only when needed. You’ll have a safely lighted area for cutting and other kitchen duties.
Idea #4: Go Eclectic
Can’t decide which lamp you like the best? Why choose? Pick one similar element like creamy shades or brass fixtures and install a variety of hanging lamps that almost go together. Not for formal dining rooms and kitchens, the eclectic lighting scheme fits in with free spirits and confident decorators. This combination often looks like a custom designer did a rich decorating job on your home. Only you will know the truth.
Idea #5: Battery Back-Ups
Home renovations in south Florida, especially those in kitchens and other frequently-used parts of the house, often include lighting that works during one of the many power outages that the area is known for. Emergency lighting doesn’t have to look like the lamps on your corner store’s wall.
Idea #6: Go Retro
Haunt thrift shops and yard sales for old kitchen lighting fixtures from the 60’s or earlier. Vintage is hot, and it might even inspire you to redo your kitchen with an entirely new retro theme. Have a residential electrical contractor inspect the fixtures to make sure they’re safe and in good working condition before he installs them in your room. If the wiring is worn, get the lamps repaired, leaving the decorative outside alone.
Idea #7: Made in the Shade
Give your kitchen makeover a pop of color. Get rid of the plain old white shades that every kitchen fixture has. Paint yours a bright primary color or something in a deep jewel tone. Decoupage designer fabrics to the outside. Glue on bright coins or small game pieces. Turn your lighting into a conversation piece simply by adding a crafty shade filled with your personality.
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