Hardwired zones aren't always better than wireless - here's why I changed my mind

I used to push hardwired everything on every install. Then I did a job up in Bellingham last fall where the customer had a 1920s house with lathe and plaster walls. Running 22/4 through those walls took me almost 6 hours for 4 zones. The wireless panel I put in the next house saved me 3 hours of labor and worked just as clean. Has anyone else run into older construction that made them rethink the all-hardwired approach?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason32824d ago

Yeah, "lathe and plaster" says it all. That stuff is a nightmare for anything wired. It's kinda like how people swear by mechanical tools or old trucks until they have to actually fix one every weekend. Sometimes the newer, simpler option is just better for the job, not just easier.

the_spencer24d ago

82 feet of wire, that's what I had left on the spool after the Bellingham job. And yeah, @jason328, your point about old trucks hits close to home. I spent last weekend chasing a vacuum leak on a 1979 F150 and spent more time cursing than driving. At this point, I'd rather spend 45 minutes programming a wireless zone than 6 hours running cable through plaster I'm probably going to crack anyway. Your mileage may vary, but my back is starting to vote for wireless on the tough ones.