Innovative Electrical Systems Several innovations simplify installation and ease future remodeling projects.

By Stacy Hunt Click here to visit the PATH website. Considering the length of supply lines and the number of controls and outlets, electrical systems can be the most extensive and complicated utility in a home. After construction is completed, any remodeling project that involves moving appliances, lighting fixtures or outlets can quickly run into expensive challenges, as well. One of the most significant issues in electrical wiring is that it is integrated with all of the other systems within the home and laced through the home's framing. This makes access both difficult and messy. And since the controls used in electrical systems can have a significant effect on the efficient use of electricity within the home, having a well-designed and flexible electrical system can save the homeowner money in energy use — and spare the contractor headaches in construction. The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) has catalogued a variety of new systems and technologies that allow builders and remodelers to disentangle electrical wiring and provide new flexibility and features to their customers. This article summarizes the features and benefits of some of these products and systems. Electrical wires can be hidden behind decorative moldings. Chases and raceways. Creating strategies to allow access to wiring for renovation purposes is a key goal of the PATH program. Solutions include prefabricated wiring chases in wall panels, such as those present in structural insulated panel systems (SIPs) and electrical raceways. Despite the advantages of using an electrical raceway for fast and affordable electrical remodeling, homeowners are often turned off by the aesthetic appearance of the raceways, which are often visible and hard to conceal. New hidden raceway systems such as those offered by Wire Tracks solve this problem. An electrical raceway is created behind an area such as the baseboard or crown molding and looks no different from a traditional baseboard or molding. Installing wiring in this space makes it much more accessible for renovation or repair in the future.   1 | 2  NEXT RELATED ARTICLES: Advanced Plumbing Systems: Getting the Most from Plumbing Finishing Touches Green Remodeling: One Room at a Time PATH Concept Home Opens in Style Reusing Household Water with Greywater Systems