As new technologies designed and developed, the opportunities for electrical improvements in your house increase. Changes to accommodate and embrace these technologies doesn’t always have to come at a cost or inconvenience. There are a number of upgrades that you or an electrician can make in your home that will improve your life at home.

We’ve compiled a list of 5 electrical add-ons or upgrades that you absolutely need – you’ll be wondering why you didn’t think of them sooner.

USB Powerpoints

With the number of electronics that we all have, there never seem to be enough powerpoints next to the bed. Two sockets just don’t seem to cut it these days for your phone, laptop, iPad, lamp and other accessories, and adding a power board only adds clutter to your nightstand. A perfectly simple solution to this problem is adding USB powerpoints to your bedside – or anywhere else in the house for that matter. USB powerpoints mean you can plug your cord directly into the slot in the powerpoint and charge away – they’re perfect for next to the bed, in the kitchen or by the couch. While this isn’t an upgrade you can (nor should you attempt to) do without the help of an electrician, the sockets are cheap and hassle-free to install!

Motion Detector Lights

Save you from fumbling around in the middle of the night looking for a light switch, or having to walk up a dark path to your front door if you have outdoor parking. Motion sensor lighting is perfect for households with children, stairs, or just as an extra safety precaution. The lights only activate once the sensor registers low lighting, so there’s less wastage during the day, and will switch off after a few minutes of inactivity, depending on your timer settings.  

Security Cameras

At one point, CCTV was almost exclusively used by businesses to protect themselves against criminal activity, and they were expensive clunky machines. These days, it’s not unusual to see at least one security camera in a house. Not only do security cameras protect your home and family if someone is trying to break in, but they also work as a deterrent for criminals. Homes with surveillance cameras are 300% less likely to be broken into than those without. If you’re still one of the unlucky few, the footage can be taken directly to the police and your case is more likely to result in action being taken against the criminal.

Security cameras are now so advanced that they have motion detectors which can set off flood lights and send a push notification to your phone. From there, you can open the app to see the activity. While you can purchase battery-powered ones and set them up yourself at home, having cabled cameras or CCTV that interact with your lighting will require an electrician to install them.

Bedside Light Switches

While not technically a new invention, chances are that if your house wasn’t built in the last decade (and maybe not even then), your bedroom light switches are likely to be next to the door – but this isn’t always the most inconvenient. How many times have you jumped into bed at night, exhausted from the day and realised you haven’t turned out the lights? It’s a minor problem but seems to happen too often. Having a light switch installed next to your bed can eliminate this issue and makes it easier for getting up in the morning!

Smart Lighting

These days, your lighting doesn’t have to be limited to having regular wall switches. Now, you’re able to control your lights with an app on your phone or even your voice. Smart lights can be controlled wirelessly and allow you to set lighting schedules, dim them, or even select your colour preferences. While this may seem like a complex change, adding smart lighting to your home only requires an electrician to install a simple mechanism behind the existing light switch, which means there’s no need for new cables!

If you need advice or help installing any of these electrical home improvements (or anything else), feel free to get in touch with us here.