Tips To Save On Electrical System Installation

Posted on: 14 April 2020

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The installation of an electrical system comes with certain costs that can't be avoided, but there are ways to reduce how much an electrical installation is. If you're planning a new electrical system installation, here are some tips to save on the project.

Use the Smallest Conductors Possible

Electrical codes dictate what conductors are suitable for different parts of an electrical system, and you shouldn't use conductors that are below what code requires. Doing so not only is illegal but also can make a building unsafe.

You also shouldn't use conductors that exceed code requirements for an electrical system installation, though. The conductors that the code requires are suitable for transmitting the amount of energy required, and higher-grade conductors will only increase material costs.

In some cases, higher-grade conductors can also force you to use more expensive components in other parts of the system. Higher-grade conductors are larger and, counterintuitively, increase resistance because no conductor is completely resistance-free. This can force you to use a larger circuit breaker at the electrical entry point to the system.

In short, the code-stipulated conductors will perform just fine. They provide safe, reliable performance without any additional material costs.

Plan the Circuit Layout

In order to keep the amount of wire that's needed to a minimum, the electrical system installation's circuit layout should be carefully planned. An efficient circuit design will reduce how often wires meander unnecessarily and will keep wiring costs low. Not planning the system can lead to wires that take long routes and backtrack at points, which only increases wiring costs. 

Anything that can be saved on wiring will result in both material and labor cost reductions. Material costs will be lower because less wire is needed for the electrical system installation, and labor costs will be lower because an installer will need to spend less time running wire along walls and through ceilings.

Use Properly Sized Appliances

Many people don't consider appliances to be part of an electrical system because appliances come with their own considerations. When you're planning an electrical system installation, though, the appliances that will be used should be selected and kept to an appropriate size.

When appliances that are overly large are installed in a building, they increase the electrical load within the building. Their effect on the system is especially significant because they draw so much electricity. Using the right-sized appliances will ensure you don't need to install a bigger electrical system to deliver additional electricity to appliances.