Stay Connected With Us:

location

Serving Dallas Fort Worth & Surrounding Areas

contact-icon

24/7 Emergency Service

682-224-0757
10/16/2022

A Guide To The Various Types Of Electrical Wiring In Your Home From Your Trusted Electrical Contractors | Arlington, TX

Over 30 million homes in the United States are at least 50 years old. Research shows that home fires are commonly high in these houses. This is because the electrical wiring used in these ancient buildings may not be able to cannot handle modern appliances.

Thus, it’s essential to know the type of wire or cable used in your house or the type you may need when installing new wiring. But most residents are unaware of the wiring used in their homes, and in case of any issue, they seek the help of electrical contractors.

But this does not have to be the case; knowing the kind of electrical wiring used in your home will help you learn more about your home’s circuit. Electrical wiring does not have to be boring; continue reading to learn about different types of wires commonly used in residential properties.

NM Cable

The NM cable is one of the most popular types of home electrical wiring. Electrical contractors use this circuit cable for dry, inner home wiring such as the outlets, fixtures, and switches. This wiring comprises three or more individual conductors swaddled in the sheathing, usually a flexible plastic jacket.

This cable comprises one or more hotlines and neutral and ground wires. Most NM cables come in the shape of a flattened tube and run obscurely through your home’s walls, ceilings, or floor cavities.

The electrical contractors use this cable for hidden wall applications since it tends to be cheaper than a conduit. The NM cables are color-coded; their outer jacket comes in various colors to indicate the wire gauge.

Underground Feeder Cable

This type of UM cable is explicitly designed for wet areas and burial grounds. Electrical contractors prevalently use it in supplying outdoor fixtures. Like the non-metallic cable, it is also made of insulated, hot-ground copper wires.

Unlike the NM cable, the UF wire has a solid sheathing plastic surrounding each wire. Also, because of its durable insulation, this electrical wire is more costly for homeowners in Arlington, TX, than the NM wire. You can purchase the UF wire in the gray outer sheathing.

In addition, the UF cable is used for significant circuit wiring; as long as the circuits are on, this wire carries a dangerous voltage.

Low-Voltage Wire

This wire is used for circuits that require 50 volts or below. Electrical contractors commonly use low-voltage wire in items without electricity, such as sprinkler systems, doorbells, thermostats, and landscape lighting.

These low–voltage wires can either be made up of aluminum or copper. Low voltage wires range from 22 to 12 gauge and are typically insulated and can also be held in cable sheathing or put together in twisted doubles like those of lamp cord wire.

Compared to household wires, the low voltage is cheaper. Low-voltage wires rarely give a severe shock, but turning off devices before working with them is always advisable for homeowners in Arlington, TX.

Phone and Data Wire

Data and telephone wires are typically low-voltage cables used for internet and landline phones. The telephone cable is made up of around four to eight threads.

The category five cable is the most popular home data wiring type, containing eight wires bundled together in four pairs. Compared to the standard phone wire, the phone and data wire offers a bigger capacity and quality and can be used for data and phone transmission.

Homeowners in Arlington, TX, seeking a less costly option, can opt for this wire because it’s cheaper than the UF and NM cables. Even though the phone and data wiring carries low voltage, it is dangerous if the data wiring touches the house wiring. Please treat the wire with care and also avoid touching naked cables.

THHN/THWN WIRE

Some common insulated wire types include THHN/THWN wire. The electrical contractors use them inside the conduit. These wires are single conductors, and each has color-coded insulation. And they are protected by a plastic conduit or tubular metal.

The conduit is mainly found in incomplete places such as garages and the basement. Also, these wires should only be used for temporarily exposed runs in the house, like in the wiring connections for water heaters and garbage disposers.

THWN and THHN wires have colored sheathings that electrical contractors use to determine their use in a circuit, i.e., the hot cables can either be black, red, or orange, while ground wires are green or yellow-green.

Lastly, the neutral wires are either white or brown. As for the insulation, the letters indicate their properties:

  • T stands for thermoplastic.
  • W pinpoints wet areas, N for nylon-coated protection, and H for heat-resistant.
  • HH stands for highly heat resistant.

These two cables are circuit wires; you should not handle them when the circuit is on.

Coaxial Cable

The coaxial cable is becoming less and less popular because of other types of wiring. This wiring includes HDMI, which is used to transmit data from the television. The coaxial cable is a circular, insulated cable with a copper conductor.

This cable was, at a point, the primary wire connecting television to cable service delivery or antenna. It’s still used to connect satellite dishes to an in-home distribution point.

You can easily differentiate this cable from the NM cable since it has a white or black covering and typically has a round shape. The coaxial cable is unlikely to cause any shock, provided you ensure the wires are not in contact with any other live wire.

Schedule an Appointment with Tioga Plumbing & Electric Today!

You’ll be amazed at how upgrading your wire can enhance the value and appearance of your home. When you decide to install new electrical wiring, make sure to contact Tioga Plumbing & Electric.

We have a team of certified electrical contractors with the know-how to complete your electrical wiring project. We have a team of licensed electrical contractors who can assist you with all your electrical and plumbing needs, including all types of electrical wiring. Give Tioga Plumbing & Electric a buzz today!

Photo By Artem Postoev at Shutterstock

Taking a bite out of Your Plumbing & Electrical needs

We make fixing your home easier than ever. Whether it’s a leaky pipe, faulty wiring, or an urgent repair, our experts deliver fast, reliable solutions you can count on.
call 682-224-0757

Taking a bite out ofYour Plumbing & Electrical needs

Professional Plumbers in Fort Worth - Tioga Plumbing and Electric

Does Baking Soda and Vinegar Drain Cleaner Actually Work?

There’s nothing more annoying than standing in ankle-deep water because your shower won’t drain, or watching your kitchen sink fill up like it’s staging a protest. You grab the baking soda and vinegar drain trick because hey, everyone swears by it. It’s cheap, natural, and already in your pantry.  But does it actually work, or... Read more »

Professional Plumbers in Fort Worth - Tioga Plumbing and Electric

Why Does My Bathtub Drain Keep Clogging?

You’re standing in the shower, and instead of the water swirling down the bathtub drain, it’s creeping up around your ankles. Gross, right? A bathtub drain that doesn’t clear like it should might seem like a minor headache at first, but it’s usually the start of a bigger plumbing problem.  Hair, soap, even the way... Read more »

Drain Cleaning in Arlington - Tioga Contractors

How Does Drain Line Excavation Work?

A drain line moves wastewater from inside your home to the main sewer system or septic tank. It works quietly underground, but when it fails, the impact is anything but silent—backups, slow drains, and even flooding can follow. A damaged drain line can’t be ignored, and sometimes, the only solution is drain line excavation—digging into... Read more »

Drain Cleaning Service in Dallas - Tioga Contractors

Why You Should Hire a Professional Drain Cleaning Company in Dallas

Your kitchen sink gurgles, then suddenly overflows—yep, it’s time for emergency drain cleaning. Sound familiar? In Dallas, that kind of chaos isn’t rare. Thanks to clay-heavy soil and aging pipes, clogs and backups hit fast and hit hard. You might think grabbing a plunger or pouring in some cleaner will fix it, but that quick... Read more »

Repiping Service Explained - Tioga Contractors

Repiping Service Explained: When Homeowners Should Consider Whole-House Repiping

Older plumbing systems can cause more problems than most homeowners realize. Hidden leaks, corroded pipes, and outdated materials quietly wear down your home’s plumbing from the inside out, especially in homes built decades ago.  A repiping service replaces those failing pipes with modern, durable materials and helps prevent water damage, low pressure, and unexpected repair... Read more »

Drain Cleaning in Arlington - Tioga Contractors

Arlington Drain Cleaning Service

A drain clogged at the wrong time can turn your home into a mess—slow sinks, foul smells, and even water backing up in places it shouldn’t. Whether it’s your kitchen, shower, or sewer line, ignoring the issue won’t make it disappear—it’ll only get worse. You need a solution that works fast and lasts. That’s why... Read more »

Drain Cleaning in Arlington - Tioga Contractors

How Professional Drain Cleaning in Arlington Solves the Toughest Clogs

Drain cleaning Arlington isn’t something you think about until your tub won’t drain or your kitchen sink smells like last week’s dinner. But here’s the thing—when your plumbing stops working, everything in your home gets thrown off. Over time, hair, food bits, grease, and gunk build up in your pipes. That buildup doesn’t just slow... Read more »

Drain Cleaning in Arlington - Tioga Contractors

How to Find the Best Drain Cleaning Company in Arlington

Flushing wipes, paper towels, or hygiene products might seem harmless, but those non-degradable items are exactly what send people scrambling for a drain cleaning company. You think it’s just a clog, but what’s really going on in your pipes can be a whole mess of buildup, broken lines, or even invasive tree roots. That’s where... Read more »

Signs You Need An Emergency Drain Cleaning Service - Tioga Contractors

Signs You Need An Emergency Drain Cleaning Service

If you’ve ever needed an emergency drain cleaning service, you know how fast things can go from annoying to full-on chaos. Whether it’s a slow drain or a major sewer line backup, these issues can turn your day upside down. And here’s the truth—waiting it out won’t make it go away.  Overflowing sinks, nasty smells,... Read more »

Rinnai Water Heater Service Near Me - Tioga Contractors

Taking a bite out ofYour Plumbing & Electrical needs

We make fixing your home easier than ever. Whether it’s a leaky pipe, faulty wiring, or an urgent repair, our experts deliver fast, reliable solutions you can count on.