History of Homes and Cables
It was not too long ago, that homes were wired only for electricity at the time of construction (or later). With time and developments, a cable for telephone was introduced in homes. Many telephone cables were installed by the local phone company as an addition to existing houses. For the single TV in the house, homeowners had to install an antenna on the roof and some 300-Ohm twin lead all by themselves. So many changes involving homes and cables occurred over the years.
Homes and Cables Relations
Now day’s homes are being wired during construction to keep up with all we expect to have and sometimes for what is yet to come. The electrical contractor will install a very similar type of electricity wire that has been used for decades now, but this is where cable similarities between past and present end.
For telephone service, new homes are wired with Cat3 or Cat5 cables. Cat5 cables were originally designed for computer networks. These cables’ electrical properties provide better signal and lower cross talk between telephone lines. That, combined with the fact that their price have come down dramatically over the years, makes Cat3 and Cat5 installers’ choice for telephone use in homes at this time.
Cable TV & Cables
Cable TV services have been available since the late ‘70s. It led many homes to be wired for service. Most homes were wired on the exterior of the house. Once Coaxial cables replaced the 300-Ohm twin lead, numerous errors were found. Many people wired their homes with the wrong type of coaxial cable. The recommended cable today for cable TV service is RG6 Coaxial Cable. It is available in double shield and quad shield variations. Quad shield is the superior one due to its resistance to outside interference. It is recommended to run two lines of RG6 between each jack and the central distribution point.
Computer Networks & Cables
Another innovation in home wiring involves the in-home network. Since a wired network is still more reliable as well as faster than wireless networks, it is a good investment to wire for home network during construction. Not to say it is impossible to do so later, but it is always easier to wire a house when the studs are still bare. Dedicated Cat5 cables are used to wire a home for Ethernet, allowing for a speed of up to 100 megabits per second.
The Future of Homes and Cables
Some homes take it to the next level with independent power generation. Solar panels are becoming more popular as well as more affordable, and they too require special wires to be run outside the house.
Smart homes aren’t different. While some applications are wireless, wires are still required for many of the new smart home gadgets.
With years passing by and new innovations being made available to the public, more cables and cable types are needed in a single home. We better keep up and make sure our homes are prepared for whatever wired innovation is around the corner.