Your decision to buy a brand new home opens up many unique possibilities. According to the Technical Committee of the HAVAN one of the most valuable is the opportunity to have your new home pre wired for today’s — and tomorrow’s — advanced communications technologies.
A pre wired or “connected” home can support a wide range of technologies, including high speed Internet service, digital television, direct broadcast satellite service, local computer networks within the home, an efficient home office, home entertainment centres, environmental and energy management systems and home security networks.
Traditional cable TV and telephone wiring found in most homes simply isn’t designed to handle these modern technologies. The result can be poor performance and an unsightly mess of temporary wires and extensions running along floors and walls, or the need to re wire which can be an expensive and often difficult process.
Most new home builders include some pre wiring in their homes, such as multiple cable TV and telephone outlets run in series. On request, builders can install more comprehensive pre wiring to suit your communication and automation needs. While there are a number of different systems in the market, the telecommunications industry is rapidly moving towards a standardized home wiring system, with “minimum” and “recommended” wiring options. This system includes a service centre, or a central hub, where telecommunications services enter your home, and a network of dedicated conduits for high performance cables and wires that distributes services to locations throughout your home.
When you are ready to buy your new home, sit down with the builder and discuss your pre wiring needs. Here are some of the things the HAVAN Technical Committee believes you should consider before you make your final decisions.
Think Long Term
Technologies will undoubtedly continue to change and improve. Your own needs may also grow and change with time. You want to make sure your system is flexible enough to accommodate future demands.
Pre Wire and Connect the Whole House
Do not do just selected rooms or areas. Basically, you should be able to plug into your network of wires and cables from any room in the house, including the kitchen and laundry room.
Personal Computer Use in The Home is Likely to Increase in the Future
Lots of outlets and high speed Internet connections throughout the house is key to easy use. An internal computer network can link everyone in the household and provide access to shared printers.
Consider Your Entertainment Needs
If you are planning a home entertainment centre, you’ll want to plan for speakers, outlets, cable and Internet connections. You may want to be able to re route a video from one television screen to another – great for the kids as they move from their play area to lunch in the kitchen, for instance. You may also want to pre wire for sound throughout the house, with the ability to turn speakers on and off with a simple flick of a conveniently located switch. And think about running a conduit from the roof to the basement for satellite cabling.
Think About Personal Security
What are your needs now? Are they likely to change in the future? It is easy to install wiring and motion sensors for doors and windows at the time of construction. Perhaps you want to incorporate a camera in the front door linked to your television, so you can see who is ringing your doorbell without getting up. Or connect an alarm to the back door so you always know when it is opened. Or have a video camera in an upstairs bedroom for baby monitoring. The options are unlimited.
It makes a great deal of sense to consider pre wiring when you are buying a new home. Not only does it ensure that you’ll get the most out of your home, it could also pay off in the future by increasing your home’s resale value. Talk to your builder about pre wiring options and possibilities.
