The type of in-wall wiring and cables you choose for your home will largely depend on what kind of signal you need to carry, where you’re going to route the wire, and how far the signal will have to travel between your various peripherals. Whatever type of wiring you choose to go with, you want to be sure you get one that’s rated for in-wall use by the Underwriters Laboratory (UL). This is usually going to be indicated with a CL2 or CL3 rating when it comes to speaker wire and audio/video cables. A good number of Ethernet cables are rated for in-wall use as well, usually indicated with a CM, CMR, or CMP rating. When choosing the right rating for each specific type of wiring, the UL looks at a range of different factors, including the heat being generated from current flowing through the wire, how quickly the cable will catch and spread fire when exposed to flame, and the wire’s vulnerability to damage from external stresses.

It is also important to look for a cable that’s rated for your specific needs. For instance, you are going to want cable that is rated as CL2P or CL3P if you are planning to run it in your heating ducts, or if you are looking to run your cable underground to connect to your outdoor speakers, you will want to make sure your cable is rated for direct burial. It should also be noted that when you are making the decision of what custom wiring you will need for your home, you need to be aware of your local fire codes and make your selections accordingly.

When you are looking for the right type of speaker wire for your home, there are two things you need to factor into your decision: the gauge and number of conductors. The gauge of wiring you choose should depend on how far the wire is going to have to travel from the receiver to the speaker. Significant power loss can occur over long runs of wiring, reducing your system’s performance. This might not be a significant issue in a single-room setup, but it is something to keep in mind if you are looking at a multi-room system. In terms of conductors, speaker cable comes with two or four. Two should be all you need for wiring a single speaker, but if you are looking at doing a multi-room setup, or a system with volume controls, you will mostly likely want four.

No home wiring setup would be complete without a solid Ethernet setup, but knowing which type of wiring to use can be a little confusing. When you are looking to create a wired computer network in your home, or carrying audio/video and control signals all across the home, CAT-5 cables have been the standard for a long time, but a better option these days might be to look at CAT-5e or CAT-6 cables. These newer cables are able to pass more data along the wire at a much faster rate than the older wires. The CAT-5e and CAT-6 wiring options are also backwards compatible with devices that were designed to work with the older CAT-5 wiring, meaning you won’t have to buy all new equipment. Ethernet cabling actually stands up to interference better than almost all audio/visual cables, which is a large reason it has become so popular in recent years for whole-house audio/video systems. It can also be a more cost-effective option to run long lengths of Ethernet cabling than it can be to run the same length in audio/video cable.

Location, location, location. Many factors in your quality of life are affected by where you choose to live, including your energy costs. Wallet Hub recently released a report that surveyed the average energy costs, including electricity, in all 50 states. Read on to learn more about where your state falls in the rankings.

What Affects Electricity Rates?

A number of factors play into the price of electricity in a given state or region – the proximity of energy production and fuel sources, federal or state incentives, taxes, and the local competition in the energy market can all affect the final price.

The gap between the cheapest and most expensive states can be surprisingly large – electricity in Hawaii, the most expensive state, costs four times as much per unit as it does in Washington D.C., an electrician's paradise with the lowest price for power. Joining Washington D.C. among the cheapest electricity states are North Dakota, Idaho, Louisiana and West Virginia, while Vermont, Connecticut, Alaska and New York round out the most expensive five after Hawaii.

Adding Consumption to the Mix

Of course, there's more to your utility costs than just the base sticker price. How much electricity you consume plays a role as well. Those homeowners paying sky-high prices in Hawaii, for example, also use the least electricity per household in the entire United States. Residents in Louisiana, on the other hand, use the most electricity per household, thanks to sweltering hot weather that goes hand-in-hand with significant reliance on electric air conditioning.

Given the combination of price and consumption, people living in Washington, D.C. spend the least amount on electricity, forking over an average of $79 per month, followed by residents of Illinois, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Despite their low consumption levels, people in Hawaii still get the highest bills, at an average of $179 per month. Residents of Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Florida join them in the top five for overall electricity spending.

Let the Electricians Guide You to Lower Bills

The report also includes interviews with energy experts on how to save money on utility bills, as well as the impact of tax deductions, credits and energy assistance for low-income households in the utility market.

“Consider calling your utility company and asking if they offer any services to help you identify ways to be more efficient in your home,” Sanya Carley, associate professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, suggests. “Many utilities offer such services for free, and will send someone to your house to prepare a formal or informal audit for you.”

To see the full list and find out where your state ranks when it comes to electricity and other household energy costs, check out the WalletHub report here. If you need tips on how to conserve electricity to reduce your utility bills no matter what the sticker price of energy is in your state, contact an expert electrician today.

The electrical system of a home is often a greatly underrated, underappreciated, and under cared for part of any home. As long as it’s working, why worry? However, your electrical system can very easily cause big problems if it hasn’t been cared for. Buying a home is a big investment, and you shouldn’t leave anything to chance. Depending on what your home inspection says when you get it back, it’s never a bad idea to ask for a licensed electrician to come out and do an electrical system inspection prior to committing to the purchase so that you know exactly what you’re getting. Consider the following reasons you definitely want to ask for an electrical system inspection before committing to a home purchase in Longview.

It’s important to have a circuit breaker panel inspected regularly, including when you’re looking to buy a home. The circuit breaker panel is a critical safety feature for any home electrical system. Your electrician will check to make sure it’s in working order, that there are no recalls on it, and that there is plenty of power in order to power all the appliances and more. Making sure this critical element of the home is working properly is the most important part of an electrical system inspection.

When you have an electrical inspection completed on a prospective home to buy, you’ll get a good sense of what the current state of the electrical system looks like. This will give you a good idea if you will have to invest in the electrical system in the future and when that may need to happen.

Your electrician can help you figure out if you’re making a good investment from that side of the home buying experience. Electrical problems can quickly add up to large sums of money if you end up having to replace much of the wiring, outlets, and lighting fixtures in order to improve the house and reduce any chance of an electrical fire. Understanding what the electrical risks are will help you know if the house will be worth the money or not.

Often times, when you buy an older home, you may be considering adding a dishwasher, upgrading the washer and dryer, or opting to either add or upgrade the air conditioning system. These are all great ideas to add value to your home, however, an upgrade can quickly turn into a much larger project when you need to install a new electric panel or upgrade the wiring because it can’t currently support your home improvement projects.

Deciding whether or not to install solar panels is a big decision for anyone who owns a home or commercial building. The good news is that solar power is becoming more common, meaning that there are more installers and other companies that work with solar power. Because of this, you have more options when it comes to purchasing or financing your solar panels. Kim Hopkins, the owner of Solar Panel Info has set up this website to share his extensive knowledge of acquiring and installing solar panels. One of the most interesting things that discussed is the relatively new opportunity of the solar lease. Options such as this make the cost of solar panels attractive to many more buyers than ever before.

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?

One of the greatest barriers to solar installation has always been the huge up-front investment that can be required. In recent years, however, there are many companies that offer alternatives to this, such as the solar lease. Programs such as this allow you to actually lease the panels for a monthly fee. This fee is typically based on the size of the system installed, your credit and other factors. The company leasing the panels will send their own solar installers to install the system on your home or business, and maintain ownership of the system. All of the electricity that you generate, however, is your own. In most cases, according to www.solar-panel-info.com, your new (lower) electric bill, plus the solar leasing costs will be less than your electric bill before your panels were installed. This means that you can start saving money during the first month of ownership.

If you wish to do so, you can also purchase solar panels outright. This can be done through the same companies that lease, or through other solar panel installers in your area. One of the benefits of purchasing your own solar panels is that you can take advantage of many tax benefits, rebate programs and other incentives. While this option may not work for everyone, you still have the ability to finance the purchase of the equipment, as well as the cost of installation.

Will Solar Panels Save Me Money?

According to the experts at www.solar-panel-info.com, most homes and businesses will start saving money during their first month of solar power generation. This is especially true if you choose to take advantage of a solar lease. In addition to lessening your dependence on electricity from your utility company, many utilities also give you the option to sell your electricity back to them. This can be incredibly beneficial on days that you can generate much more than you use. In most areas, especially during the summer, you will be generating the most electricity during peak hours, and drawing electricity during off-peak hours. Because of this, you will use lower-cost off-peak power from your utility and sell them back higher-cost peak electricity. This is perfect for offsetting cloudy, stormy days that will generate little to no electricity.

If you are looking for a great way to lower your energy bills, while also helping the environment, solar panel installation may be perfect for you. Now is an ideal time to start looking into this type of technology. There are many different incentives, rebates and leasing options that make getting started easier than ever before. If investing in the purchase of your own solar panels has been holding you back, take some time to look into companies that offer solar leasing. Experts in this field, such as Kim Hopkins, can give you some valuable insight and information into the options that you have in your area. If you have any additional questions, you can visit for more great information on solar installation.

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