The Electrical Side of Home Automation

Before you can enjoy exciting smart home features like motorized shades, whole-home audio, and security devices, you may require services by a residential electric contractor. If your home isn’t properly wired with low-voltage wiring, you won’t be able to automate a large automation system across your Franklin, TN property.

But what is an electric contractor, and what do they do? We get asked this question a lot! We’ll break down the electric contractor’s role in home automation so you can find the solutions you need.

SEE ALSO: Symspire Is Your Nashville-Area Residential Electric Contractor

What is a Residential Electric Contractor?

An electric contractor is a person or firm that specializes in the design, installation, and maintenance of electrical systems. This includes integrated home systems that involve low-voltage installations such as climate controls, wireless networks, smart lighting, fiber optics, and surveillance systems.

An electric contractor plans your home’s project from the beginning and will determine a timeline and necessary resources. From there, an electrician or the contractor will install the cabling and wiring required.

Why Does My Smart Home Need Low-Voltage Wiring?

You may be wondering: can’t all my smart devices just be plugged into an outlet and connect over Wi-Fi? But a room with smart lights, motorized shades, motion sensors, in-wall speakers, and smart thermostats requires a discreet way to deliver power to all those devices while letting technology communicate with each other.

Low-voltage wiring like Cat-5, Cat-6, and fiber optic cables deliver data, audio, and video signals to your smart home controller. Wiring may sound outdated in the wireless modern world, but it’s still crucial for the backbone of your smart home. Wi-Fi isn’t reliable for complex systems and should only be used for devices you need on the go, like laptops or smartphones.

What Is Low-Voltage Wiring?

Low-voltage wiring handles up to 50 volts of electricity and is used for lighting, thermostats, security devices, and more. Cat-5, Cat-6, and fiber optic cables carry signals for computer networks, telephones, and video. You’ve probably seen these cables connected to your TV or router. The same wiring can power your smart home. We do our best to hide wires and install stylish wall keypads for a refined, elegant appearance.

If you’re looking for reliable electrical wiring to bring your smart home dreams to life, our team of electrical contractors looks forward to helping you! Chat with our team at Symspire below or contact us here to schedule a no-obligation consultation.