Low Voltage Wiring Planning for Your Home Renovation

Why Low Voltage Is Just as Important as Electrical Planning

Imagine moving into your newly renovated home. The TV is mounted, the walls are finished, the furniture is all in place… and then you realize there is nowhere to plug anything in without cords showing or walls being opened back up!!

That moment almost always comes from one thing that was overlooked early on: low voltage wiring. Low voltage planning happens before the drywall goes up, long before the design decisions feel exciting. There may not be any design elements, making it boring to plan and if you don't plan for it, wires will end up on the outside of your walls making a design statement!

When low voltage is planned with intention, your home feels effortless. When it is not, technology and wires become a constant workaround. Here is how to plan it right from the start.

TV and Media Wiring Planning

Before any wires are run, it is important to understand how you plan to watch TV. Here are some questions to ask before you begin:

Choosing Your TV Setup

Are you going to have cable boxes from a TV provider like Optimum or Verizon or are you solely streaming your channels through a smart TV, Roku/Fire stick or Apple TV?

Where Will Cable Boxes or Streaming Devices Live

Do the cable boxes or streaming devices need a hard wire or do they use wi-fi & are wireless?

• The hard wire is either a co-ax cable or a cat 6 line

• Ask your cable provider about the wiring as the technology is changing very quickly

• Many of the boxes & streaming devices are wireless but we still suggest running a cat 6 line to each TV location for future technology

  
  

Wall Mounted TVs vs Cabinet Setups

Where will the cable boxes/ streaming device be located?

• Each TV can have its own device sitting near by - run 1-2  hard wires from the router to each spot (1 for the cable signal, 1 extra line for the future)

• If you don't want to see any of the cable boxes, you can remote them all in the basement or utility closet - run 2-3 hard wires from the cable box location to each TV. (1 line will be for an IR Repeater, 1 line will be for the cable signal, 1 extra line for the future)

  
  

Where will each TV & its accompanying cable box/streaming device be located?

• If the TV is sitting on a cabinet with a cabinet below housing the boxes, run everything low on the wall and it will connect behind the cabinet

• If the TV is being mounted on the wall, separate from the cabinet, you will want to hide the wires - run the cat 6/cable wire behind the cabinet, run the HDMI cable behind the wall from the cabinet to the back of the tv, run a chase pipe for future wires to be run in this pipe & hidden behind the wall

  
  

Planning for Future TV Locations

Are there any locations that could have a TV in the future?

• Run wiring to future tv locations so you can try to avoid cutting open walls later.

  
  

Modem and Router Placement

Where will your modem & router be located?

• A cable/cat 6 line has to be run from the modem to the router if they are not in the same room

Telephone Wiring Basics

Telephone wiring is straightforward compared to other systems.

Run one Cat 6 line from the modem to the main phone that has the answering machine. Additional phones only require electrical outlets and do not need special wiring.

Internet Wiring for Strong, Reliable Coverage

An internet wiring & equipment plan ensures a strong signal everywhere. Internet wiring is run with cat 6 wires. The router is the starting point to distributing internet service throughout the home. Consider running dedicated lines to computer and gaming console locations.

A mesh network can assist in extending the reach of your wi-fi signal. Depending on the hardware you choose, some need hard lines to each extender location, others simply plug into an electric outlet.

Audio and Speaker Wiring

Have you thought about wiring for speakers so you have the option to listen to music anywhere or giving your TV, movie theater sound quality? With the voice activated products becoming so popular, wiring may be needed to expand on these platforms.

Surround Sound Systems

A surround sound setup may require wiring from the TV or projector to a receiver, as well as wiring to each speaker and subwoofer.

Surround sound in a TV Room may require wires from the TV or Projector to the receiver and to each speaker or sub-woofer.

Having music play throughout the home requires its own plan:

• If you are using one receiver to control all of the speakers, wiring from the receiver to each speaker and volume control would have to be run

• If you are interested in having different stations play in different rooms you may need to run additional wires to other receivers.  

• Once you decide on the hardware the wiring diagram can be finalized as per those specs

  
  

Voice controlled products are typically run off of wi-fi and dedicated wiring isn't necessary.

Security and Alarm Systems

Planning for security wiring helps protect your home and simplifies installation.

Alarm systems typically require a phone line to connect to a central monitoring station.

Wired vs Wireless Alarm Systems

Wired alarm systems require low voltage wiring from the main panel to all devices including door contacts, window contacts, motion sensors, glass break sensors, and smoke or carbon monoxide detectors.

Wireless systems rely on Wi Fi and battery powered devices and usually require minimal wiring.

Security Add-Ons

Cameras are a popular addition to security systems and typically require Cat 6 lines to each camera location.

Doorbell cameras vary by model. Some connect to existing doorbell wiring, while others require a Cat 6 line.

Plan Now for a Smarter Home Later

Low voltage wiring may not be the most exciting part of a renovation, but it plays a major role in how your home functions and looks. Planning early prevents visible wires, supports evolving technology, and gives you flexibility for the future.

Now is the time to plan the low voltage setups that are right for your home.

For more information on our services visit Evolutionli.com or call us now to get your free detailed estimate: (631) 824-4623.

See you in the next post!

– 

Jennifer DeVito

Owner & Founder, Evolution General Contracting