Installing energy efficient wiring in your home can significantly reduce your electricity usage and eliminate electric bills. With some planning and effort, you can undertake this project yourself and reap the cost savings for years to come. Here is a comprehensive guide to wiring your home for maximum efficiency.

Assessing Your Current Wiring

The first step is to thoroughly inspect your existing electrical wiring to identify any deficiencies. Here are key things to check:

• Wire gauge - Smaller gauge wire like 14 or 12 AWG can bottleneck electricity delivery, leading to losses. Ideal is thicker 10 AWG copper wiring.

• Wire insulation - Outdated rubber/fabric insulation allows current leaks. Modern THHN/THWN plastic insulation is better.

• Circuit capacity - Overloaded circuits force electricity to work harder. Check circuit breaker loads and add new dedicated circuits if needed.

• Wire length - Long wire runs from the breaker panel waste power through resistance. Shorter runs are ideal.

• Grounding - Improper or missing grounding jeopardizes safety and efficiency. Inspect for sufficient ground wires and ground rods.

• Connections - Loose, corroded, or improperly terminated connections waste electricity as heat. Check all junctions are tidy and secure.

• Wire type - Aluminum wiring is problematic compared to copper and should be thoroughly inspected or replaced.

Documenting current wiring deficiencies provides a blueprint for areas to improve during rewiring.

Planning Efficient Wire Routing

Carefully plan the routing of new wiring to maximize efficiency. Here are key principles:

• Use shorter runs - Minimize distance electricity travels from breaker panel to outlet/fixture.

• Avoid daisy chains - Link outlets in series to prevent electricity losing strength.

• Choose central routes - Centralized wires better distribute electricity than scattered runs.

• Use adequate wire sizes - Oversizing wire gauge prevents waste through resistance.

• Install dedicated circuits - Individual circuits reduce overloading and wasted effort.

• Add circuits strategically - Position new circuits to evenly distribute electricity.

Also diagram the planned routing on paper before beginning. This helps optimize the design and serves as a reference during installation.

Selecting Efficient Conductors and Insulation

Choosing the right conductors and insulation improves electricity flow and reduces waste:

• Copper wiring - Superior conductivity and durability compared to aluminum.

• 10 AWG thickness - Provides less resistance than smaller 12 or 14 AWG wiring.

• THHN/THWN insulation - Rated for wet/dry use and resistant to temperature extremes.

• White, black, bare copper - Properly colored insulation for hot, neutral, ground.

• High strand count - More wire strands increases flexibility and conductivity.

• Dual rated - Both THHN and THWN ratings provide added insurance.

Prioritize quality conductors and insulation like THHN/THWN copper wiring in 10 AWG size with high strand counts. The modest added cost during rewiring will pay off exponentially in electricity savings.

Installing New Energy Efficient Wiring

With your plan finalized and materials selected, you're ready to install new efficient wiring. Follow these best practices:

• Turn off main breaker and verify power is dead before starting work. Safety first!

• Remove existing wiring if practical. In some cases, abandoning inplace may be better.

• Route new wires based on your efficiency plan using optimal routing. Avoid unnecessary length and junctions.

• Maintain proper separation between hot, neutral, grounding conductors. Follow electrical code requirements.

• Make tidy connections with correctly sized wire nuts or crimp connectors. Avoid loose or poorly terminated junctions.

• Use junction boxes to consolidate and isolate connections. Minimize exposed conductors.

• Carefully anchor wiring every 4-6 feet and at junctions using staples or ties. Prevent sagging and loose wires.

• Label both ends of each circuit at the breaker and outlet/fixture. This avoids confusion down the road.

• Test each circuit before completing drywall and insulation. Verify expected voltage and intended connectivity.

Taking a methodical approach ensures an efficient and safe new wiring system that will serve your home for decades.

Adopting Efficient Lighting and Appliances

Efficiency gains from wiring upgrades can be amplified further by also using:

• LED lighting - Uses 80% less power than incandescents with longer life.

• EnergyStar appliances - Certified as most efficient in their product class.

• Smart power strips - Cuts phantom load wasted by idle electronics.

• Low voltage lighting - Runs on 12V DC instead of 120V AC to save power.

• Timers and motion sensors - Reduce operating time of lights/appliances.

• Higher SEER AC - Cools home using less electricity. Look for a SEER of 16 or greater.

• Better insulation - Prevents conditioned air and efficiency gains from escaping.

Being selective about lighting and appliances prevents inefficient power use that undermines wiring improvements.

Using Solar or Other Renewables

For maximum energy independence, supplement efficiency gains with on-site renewable power generation:

• Solar photovoltaics - Roof panels convert free sunlight into usable electricity.

• Solar water heating - Solar thermal panels provide hot water without electricity.

• Wind turbines - Convert kinetic wind energy into electricity. Most effective in rural areas.

• Geothermal - Uses subterranean temperatures for heating/cooling.

• Microhydropower - Small-scale generators produce power from flowing water.

• Backup batteries - Store excess renewable output for use when needed.

Renewables like rooftop solar PV provide supplemental power while also offsetting remaining grid purchases. With proper sizing, renewables can eliminate electric bills entirely.

Monitoring Energy Use and Conservation

Continuously monitoring your home energy use enables conservation:

• Smart thermostat - Learns usage patterns to optimize heating and cooling.

• Home energy monitor - Tracks real-time and historical consumption by circuit.

• Conservation steps - Simple measures like LEDs, power strips, insulation, and behavior changes.

• Maintenance - Keep equipment tuned up and use efficient settings.

Careful monitoring provides the feedback needed to identify issues, reduce waste, and further slash electric bills through conservation. Over time, efficiency becomes an entrenched habit.

In Conclusion

With diligent effort and care, you can upgrade wiring, lighting, appliances, and renewables in your home to dramatically boost efficiency. Combined with robust monitoring and conservation habits, enjoying a home powered by free electricity is an achievable dream. The financial and personal fulfillment rewards are immense for those embracing energy independence.