Do you dream of having your own home theater? A haven where you can sit back and relax, watch movies with your family, play games, or catch up on your favorite shows? With people spending more time at home, many people are starting to make their home theater dreams a reality. However, converting your family room or den into a home theater can be a little more complicated than hooking up some extra speakers or buying a new TV.
Home Theater Wiring: Hire an Electrician
While you may know which sound system you want, the size of your new TV, and all the cable requirements for various DVD players, gaming systems, etc., do you know how your new home theater setup will affect your home's wiring? Home theaters require a lot of power and can place a lot of stress on your electrical system.
Home theaters are also a lot more than the devices you plug in. Most home theaters feature built-in electrical components, including speakers, lighting, and more. Installing these various components and making sure they all work together as they should can be a daunting task, not to mention a potentially hazardous one if you are not experienced in electrical work.
Common electrical features in home theaters:
- HD, 4K, or plasma televisions
- Gaming systems
- Surround sound systems
- Mounted projectors and screens
- Smart home integration
- Theater lighting
- Hard-wired internet connectivity
- Other audio/visual systems
- Automated blinds and window coverings
Below we review a few of the more complicated aspects of building and wiring a home theater and how working with an electrician can not only expedite the process but can ensure that your home theater runs smoothly and safely.
How Do Electrical Codes Affect Your Project?
As mentioned previously, home theaters require a fairly extensive electrical setup. Whenever you work on your electrical system, you must ensure that any new installations are up to code. Even something as simple as installing an additional outlet must adhere to national and local electrical codes. The best way to ensure that your home theater is up to code is to work with a licensed electrician, like those at Lightning Bug Electric.
Home Theater Electrical Design
One of the most important parts of your home theater is its electrical design. Your electrical design will dictate how well your home theater operates. For example, failure to consider your electrical design can lead to overloaded circuits, causing your breakers to trip every time you try to watch a movie. Also, bad electrical design can mean that your plugs aren't where you want them, causing you to have to reconfigure your entire floorplan.
Things to consider when working on your home theater's electrical design:
- What devices will you need to run, and how many will be running simultaneously?
- What is your ideal floor plan for the room?
- Where do you need your outlets?
- Do you want cellphone charging stations built into theater seats?
- What are your lighting requirements?
- Will you be integrating your home theater into your smart home automation?
- Will the room serve any other purposes besides a home theater?
Our skilled electricians can help you with every aspect of your home theater's electrical design. They will take you through all of these considerations and more.
Why Working with a Licensed Electrician Matters
As we have already mentioned, working with an electrician ensures that your home theater project is completed safely and correctly. Additionally, working with an electrician from the start can help you avoid nasty surprises that ultimately delay your project and cost you more money. This is especially important if you live in an older home that may need to be upgraded before you can begin building your theater.
From providing expert-level electrical designs to helping ensure your project is up to code and guiding you in securing the appropriate building codes, our home theater electricians have the knowledge and experience needed to help you build the home theater of your dreams. Send us a message online to get started designing your home theater today.