FIT AND FORGET AT YOUR PERIL

As the world advances towards smarter, more environmentally friendly homes, it’s vital to ensure that what’s built is fit for its intended purpose, and offers sufficient performance flexibility to be future-proof as technology changes. Despite the increased use of wireless products, wired solutions remain the most consistently reliable solution. Direct wired solutions offer a faster signal speed due to one connection per device, thus removing the risk of signal loss due to multiple devices sharing the same access point. In essence, it’s more difficult for signals to be obstructed, intercepted (due to firewalls), to drop out, or to stop working altogether as a result of external interference when using wired products.

For the foreseeable future, cables will remain as the most reliable way of ensuring the seamless integration of technology throughout a building. Whether it’s lighting control, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, security, or a digital TV, cabling is still regarded as the leading smart solution to operate and automate modern smart buildings.

No Surprises

There are many cables, connectors, and associated accessories out there to choose from. Selecting the right products for your application can be a minefield. Get it wrong and it could prove to be very costly down the line – in terms of system performance, monetary value, and damaged reputation. Cables are generally installed in the early stages of a project, at the first fix stage, and then covered over as walls, or ceilings, and other such semipermanent structures take their places as the build progresses. The technological equipment is usually one of the last things to go in, and only at this point will you know if the installed cables are working correctly. If they aren’t, then it may be a case of having to rip them out and start again, which can be a very costly process.

Rely On Experts

Another crucial factor to consider is the vast number of approvals required for cables to be compliant. This has become even more complicated of late, with the introduction of the Construction Products Regulations (CPR), which came into effect in 2017, and developed further with the addition of the new UKCA marking process when the UK left the European Union in January 2020.

As is the case with most products, they can be sourced from a variety of different companies, some specialist in their fields, and others with a vast number of products for different solutions but without expertise in any particular area. To that end, when it comes to selecting the right cable for each individual application, it’s crucial that you have access to the right advice from a cable supplier who has the necessary expertise. That’s because there are so many different factors at play. What performance and application specifications are required for the product itself? What materials must be used to achieve flame retardance? Is there a requirement to withstand environmental factors such as impact, crush, water penetration, or UV resistance? Then there’s cable legislation, which can be daunting, even for the most knowledgeable.

DON’T RELY ON CHANCE

Needless to say, the wrong cable choice can result in an expensive mistake for both installers and end user clients, delaying projects and incurring avoidable added costs. That’s why it’s more important than ever to work with a cable supplier that you can trust, who understands everything from legislative requirements to product performance, and delivers exceptional service at competitive pricing to meet budgets and deadlines.

After all, your reputation depends on it, and you don’t want to leave that to chance, do you?