5 Types of Wires Every Home Needs

Do you also feel like you know almost nothing when it comes to installing wires in your new home? How many types of cables are there, and what is the purpose of using them? However, it is important to know which kind of cable you need for your electronic devices.

Also, having a basic understanding of various cables can be helpful while choosing the right kind of cables for your home. Mostly the word wires and cables are interchangeably used but the cable is a collection of various wires. However, they have the same purpose of carrying electric current.

Let us find out what kind of wires your home requires.

Non-Metallic(NM) Cable

NM cable is the most common type of cable. The composition of these cables is copper wire and two or more insulated wires. The copper wire is also known as a ground wire. Ground wires protect the circuit from getting damaged when there is a sudden surge of current. The ground wire will supply that current to the earth.

These wires are color-coded, which means the outer jacket of the cable is in different colors to indicate wire gauge. The general range of gauge is 14 gauge to 6 gauge. Also, these cables operate in dry conditions.

Underground Feeder(UF) Cable

These cables are made for wet places and require direct burial. They have a solid sheath that wraps up the wires completely. UF consists of hot insulated wire and neutral wires. They produce higher voltage and are for major circuit wiring.

These cables are easy to identify as their sheathing is solid plastic and is gray in color. You can use this cable for outdoor lighting of your residence like lampposts.

Phone and Data Cable

This cable is useful for landline telephones and internet(broadband) connections. Generally, Cat5 cable is installed in homes. They have eight wires wrapped together in four pairs. They are used for both data and phone transmission and offer greater quality and capacity than standard wires.

Although this wire has a small amount of voltage, it is considered safe when it is below 30 volts. However, it can be dangerous when it comes in contact with other wires. So, you should avoid data cables touching other household wires.

Coaxial Cable

It is a cable with jackets with an inner conductor wrapped in a tubular insulating layer surrounded by a tubular conducting shield of braided wires.

Once, coaxial cables were the standard for connecting televisions with antennas or to cable delivery services. It is still used for connecting with satellite dishes or subscription television services. It is round in shape and is generally of black or white insulation cover.

Nowadays, people are moving towards HDMI cables for TV data transmission, but if you still have older subscriptions or satellite dishes, you can install a coaxial cable.

Combined Cable

Composite wires or combo wires are the easiest way to run multiple audio, video, and data cables without having to do multiple pulls for each. They come in a combo of Cat52/RG6 and Cat5e/16AWG audio combo. You can order bulk network cables, and they usually come 500ft long.

To save yourself from the mess that multiple wires might create, you can invest in good-quality composite wires. It is easy to manage and hide making your place look much cleaner and more organized. Buying bulk network cables can save you a decent amount of money.

Conclusion

Choosing the right electrical wires can make a big difference to your home. Make sure you purchase good quality cables from suppliers who provide a lifetime warranty for the cables. Wiring is a one-time thing, so make sure you do it right the first time.

Jennifer Truong is the owner of SF Cable, a california based online retailer of all kind of Computers, electronics, electrical accessories, networking accessories, cables, wires. Jennifer has extensive experience in the Electronics industry and blog.