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8 Tech Upgrades to Prioritize During a Home Renovation

other · 2026-08-14

A Quartz article outlines eight technology upgrades that are best installed during a home renovation rather than after, due to the accessibility of open walls and the high cost of retrofitting. The upgrades include hardwired Cat6a ethernet, an upgraded electrical panel, smart thermostats with zoned climate control, whole-home leak detection, smart lighting with pre-planned scenes, smart locks integrated with security wiring, hardwired doorbell cameras, and irrigation controllers configured for local watering restrictions. Contractors emphasize that these upgrades are cheap and easy during renovation but expensive or impossible once walls are closed. The article cites specific products like Flo by Moen and Phyn Plus for leak detection and notes that ENERGY STAR-certified smart thermostats can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 8% annually. The guidance is to plan these upgrades as part of the renovation's infrastructure, not as afterthoughts, to avoid future costs and disruptions.

Key facts

  • Hardwired Cat6a ethernet to every room is the single upgrade most worth prioritizing while walls are open.
  • Many older homes have 60-amp or 100-amp electrical panels, but current demand requires 200 amps or more.
  • ENERGY STAR-certified smart thermostats can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 8% annually.
  • Whole-home leak detection systems like Flo by Moen and Phyn Plus can run daily health tests and detect pinhole leaks.
  • Smart lighting is more effective when planned with the renovation's architecture and layout.
  • Smart locks and security wiring should be integrated with the same low-voltage infrastructure as ethernet.
  • Hardwired doorbell cameras avoid battery replacement and connectivity issues of battery-powered models.
  • Smart irrigation controllers can be configured to respect local watering restrictions, avoiding fines.
  • The article is based on contractors working through 2026 renovations.
  • The source is Quartz, published at https://qz.com/tech-upgrades-to-add-during-a-home-renovation.

Entities

Institutions

  • ENERGY STAR
  • Flo by Moen
  • Phyn Plus
  • Quartz

Sources