Future Proofing

Even though cable is run to each room in the house, various changes and future enhancements will occur. Cabling standards will change. Homeowner technology requirements will change. Be smart and plan ahead for your customers. EIA/TIA-570-A states, "Within buildings, consideration should be given to establishing spare pathway capacity for future media additions or modifications that would be difficult or impossible to cable."

Consider the following when wanting to future proof.

• At Telephone outlets
• - run second category 5 for future data networks or communications or audio or future?
• At Television outlets
• - run category 5 for IR or future
• At Audio volume control
• - run category 5 for keypad, IR or future 
• • At Thermostats 
• - run 4 twisted pair shielded for future sensor wiring, route by furnace location on way to CC - Command Central  
• Other possibilities
• - consider sprinklers, spa, pool, weather station, door phone, door strike, garage door openers and run category 5 for control and future 
• Install conduit  
• Available in different forms and sizes  
• -metal
• -PVC plastic pipe 
• Flexible plastic tubing, sometimes called "Smurf tube" 
• For future wire pulls, run conduit or construct openings as chases between floors and key equipment locations
• Run conduit to future access points