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When planning a home theater most homeowners tend to overlook the most important aspect or concern, safety. They are often more concerned about which home theater system is the best or how big the display should be. Not really giving a thought to a safety plan in case of a fire or how the wires should run through the room to prevent any fire. But you don’t need to worry because we have you covered. We have tips that will ensure your home theater is safe for movie nights.

Wiring: Plan and Ensure Safety

When it comes to using any type of electronic appliance, you need to ensure the wires you employ to comply with the national safety guidelines. According to National Fire Protection Association, there are almost 50,000 fires at home due to electrical failures or malfunctions. Out of which 63% were due to equipment or wiring problems. When planning your home theater, you need to make sure of the following:

  • Damaged or loose electrical cords need to be replaced
  • Do not run wires under carpets or doorways
  • If you are using your outlet, do not use too many high wattage devices on the same outlet
  • There are no cuts in the wires
  • Use a surge protector (explained in the next tip)

When it comes to running wires through the room, the best way to do it through the walls. This ensures that the wires are not exposed so fewer chances of someone accidentally tampering or tripping over them. If you must run them through the room, then run them against the wall and not smack in the middle of the room.

wires electrocuted man

Why use a surge protector?

A homeowner should consider a surge protector as a godsend. It not only gives you more outlets but also protects your costly home theater equipment from power spikes. When you go looking to purchase a surge protector keep the following in mind:

  • The more joules the more protection you will get.
  • Look for a protector that provides warranty for your equipment, they more than likely won’t actually pay for it but it doesn’t hurt to try.
  • Get one that has enough outlet for your needs and a few extra just in case. So if you will occupy 6 outlets for your home theater, get one with 8 just in case you need to use them later.

A surge protector will eventually wear out. You need to pay close attention to a number of joules it has and replace it if it is running low. Get one that notifies you when it runs low on joules so you know when to replace it.

different colored wiring ports

Get floor lights

When you have guests over for a movie night the last thing you want is for one of them to trip, whether it is the on the stairs or on a rug. If you have stairs leading down to the seats in your home theater then we recommend you use floor lighting which will help guide guests with every step. Even when you have the lights completely turned off. These will also provide enough light so your guests or you don’t trip over anything in the room.

Floor lights are great for guidance and the best part is they are quite dim and are directed towards the floor so they don’t distract viewers at all.

light brown palliser auxillary theater seating

The room should have two exits (doors)

In case of an emergency such as a fire, it is always better to have two exits rather than one, those two on opposite sides. Like movie theaters, it is important to take proper safety measures in case of fire. So besides having a Class B fire extinguisher, having exits on opposite sides of the room will allow you and guests to use the exit which is furthest away from the fire since the fire will initially start at one end of the room.

When hosting a movie night at your home theater, the safety of all your guests should be your top priority. They are after all in your home. Therefore, properly planning your home theater is a vital step in ensuring the safety and security of you, your family, and guests. You must make sure that you take all the necessary measures to prevent anything bad from happening. You don’t want to have to run out, midway through a movie, to the hospital due to someone tripping and getting injured. Follow our tips and keep movie nights safe!

popcorn movie reel