Commerce Pundit
The following is an article written for 4seating, a luxury home theater seating company:
You might think the worst thing that could happen to a movie night would be a mistimed spoiler, but having your home theater go up in flames due to bad wiring is decidedly worse! Too often, home owners overlook the most important aspect of home entertainment: safety. All it takes is one damaged or loose electrical cord to cause a devastating electrical fire. That’s why it’s important to take a moment to talk about some tips to keep your home theater as safe — though not necessarily spoiler-free — as possible.
Electrical Safety
As with any electrical work, it’s important to make sure that the wires in your home theater follow national safety guidelines. Ideally, the wires should be run through the walls. Not only is this safer because it prevents damage to the wiring itself, but it’s more aesthetically pleasing than a rat’s nest of exposed wiring. However, unique circumstances may make it impossible to run the wiring that way. If running wiring through the walls isn’t feasible, you should at the very least run them along the wall instead of the middle of the room.
Any damaged or loose wiring should immediately be replaced, and you should take care not to overload power outlets. Additionally, a surge protector is a great way to protect your home theater equipment from damage caused by power spikes. When shopping for a surge protector, look for one with multiple outlets and a warranty for the equipment.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 50,000 home fires each year are caused by electrical failures. In order to prevent disaster, you should not only ensure that all your wiring is done correctly, but also have a safety plan in place in the event of a fire.
Other Safety Measures
Floor lights are another great way to add an extra layer of safety to your home theater. Much like in a regular theater or airplane, it can be difficult to find your way to an exit when the lights are dim. Use LED strips to create a visual path to any available exits. When entertaining guests, you can rely on the floor lights to unobtrusively guide them through your home theater without distracting from the big screen. Even when the lights are fully off, these floor lights will provide enough light to prevent any unfortunate accidents.
Finally, for optimal home theater safety, you should always aim to have clearly marked exits. In cases of disastrous emergency, such as a fire, the more avenues you have for escape, the safer everyone will be. Additionally, your home theater should be equipped with a Class B fire extinguisher to allow you to put out any small fires before they get out of control.
Home theaters should be a cozy place to relax and enjoy a superior movie experience, but safety must always be a top priority. After all, this is your home. Taking the time to properly design, build, and furnish your home theater setup is crucial to prevent any accidents and ensure your safety and that of your guests.