Smart Home Wiring Checklist: What Your Electrician Should Install Before You Buy Devices
Smart home devices are easy to buy and surprisingly hard to make reliable without the right wiring. Our smart home wiring electricians use this checklist on every project.
1. Neutral wires at every switch
Most smart switches need a neutral wire to stay powered. Homes built before the 1990s often lack them in switch boxes. We add neutrals or select no-neutral models.
2. Smart switches instead of smart bulbs
Switches keep working for guests and when the Wi-Fi is down. Pairing them with compatible switch and dimmer installation avoids flicker.
3. Power where cameras and doorbells go
Outdoor outlets under eaves for cameras and a strong doorbell wiring transformer prevent the most common smart home complaints.
4. A central location for the hub and router
A dedicated outlet and, ideally, conduit to the attic lets you run Ethernet to access points later.
5. Dedicated circuits for the home office and media room
Computers, servers and AV gear benefit from clean, dedicated power and whole house surge protection.
6. Pre-wire for shades, thermostats and sensors
Motorized shades need low-voltage or line-voltage power at each window. Smart thermostats need a C-wire.
7. Plan for the garage and EV
Smart garage door openers, an EV charger installation and garage electrical installation outlets round out a connected home.
Bring it together with lighting control
Our home automation electrician service programs scenes and schedules across Lutron, Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa so everything works from one app.
Call (888) 592-6466 to plan your smart home wiring.