Showerthought: I thought wireless sensors were a gimmick until a retrofit job in a 1920s house changed my mind

Had to wire up a full hardwired system in a place with lathe and plaster walls. After fighting with fish tapes for 3 hours on one floor I grabbed some wireless door contacts just to test. First time I actually trusted them on a real install. Has anyone else had a similar shift in thinking about wireless gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

sageburns3d ago

Honestly, "fighting with fish tapes for 3 hours" is giving me PTSD just reading that. I had a similar job in a 1930s bungalow with plaster and chicken wire, and after two hours just to get one wire to the second floor, I gave up and threw in wireless window sensors. Ngl, I felt like I was cheating at first, but they worked perfectly and the homeowner was thrilled they didn't have to watch me curse at the walls. It's a real shift when you realize the tech has actually caught up.

sam_scott593d ago

Ha, right?! @sageburns said it perfectly - that feeling of cheating is real. I remember my first wireless install, I kept checking the sensor to make sure it was still connected, like it was going to magically disconnect any second. But honestly, after that 1920s job, I'd rather spend an extra 50 bucks on wireless than another 3 hours in an attic sweating and cussing. The tech is solid enough now that the only real downside is battery life, but you trade that for your sanity. No contest in my book.