How to Buy Quality Wire and Cable At The Lowest Price And Get It Right
The prices for wire and cable have gone beyond our expectations this year. Naturally, trying to stay within the limits of your budget when working on an electrical project is challenging in this day and age. Luckily, there are still a few tricks here and there that allow buying high-quality budget-friendly cables without compromising anything. Read this blog for six exclusive tips on how to purchase quality wire and cable at the lowest price and get it right. But first, let's dive into what's the matter with the cable market today.
Why is Romex Wire So Expensive Right Now?
Copper prices are skyrocketing. They have gone up 28 percent during the first half of 2021, and current tendencies indicate that they will only continue growing. Reasons for this are complex, including supply issues in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing demand for copper because of its role in the green energy market, inflation, and the risk of a copper shortage by 2030.
Naturally, growing copper prices lead to the growth of wire and cable prices. For an average person, this becomes evident as they witness increasing costs of the most popular residential wire and cable, such as Romex. The issue with Romex is even more complex because the prices are also affected by a resin shortage in the United States that came as a result of resin plants freezing. In 2021, the supply issues have increased prices by between 30% and 50%. This directly impacts the wire and cable market because it increases the prices on the manufacturing of plastic.
To buy wire and cable in this fluctuating market, the customers need to adapt and introduce new planning and buying habits into their routine. Here are seven tips from Nassau National Cable that will help you buy the best cables while keeping things budget-friendly.
Focus On Buying High-Quality Wire and Cable From The Start
First, if you want to save money by buying cheap cables from unverified sources, this will likely not work unless you rely solely on your luck. Buying the cheapest cables out there usually means that they come with the cheapest insulation and jacket, and do not pass the industry standards required for the specific type of cable. In the worst-case scenario, installing such cables will lead to safety issues or you may not be able to install them at all. In a better scenario, the wires will wear off faster than expected, and you will have to replace them sooner, causing you to pay twice as much for cables, if not more, given the current price surge.
Keep Up With The Innovations On the Cable Market
If you have been buying the same type of cable for your needs all the time, you may want to see what's new on the market when making your next purchase. Some innovations on the market may result in cheaper and more efficient cables, such as when new insulation is invented. Other times, engineers come up with cables that are more efficient and have a longer lifespan, which makes them a better return on investment even if they are more expensive at first. For example, this is the case with CAT 7, a more efficient version of CAT 5E, and CAT 6.
Get The Exact Amount of Product That You Need At The Moment
Customers are often inclined to buy more wire and cable than they need just in case, or they may be persuaded to buy more by a seller. While this does not seem like that big of a deal, you spend more, and it shows if you buy a lot. Calculate the exact amount you need, and be straightforward with your seller. When you buy products from Nassau National Cable, you can indicate the precise amount you need. If you need help with your purchase, you can contact us through 24/7 chat.
Switch For Aluminum Cables When It Is Worth It
In many cases, you can make your electrical project cheaper by buying copper cables instead of aluminum ones. Sometimes, aluminum wiring can cost half as much as copper one, so installing it in your house can save you hundreds of bucks.
Please mind that not all copper wiring can be realistically replaced with aluminum, as not all the alternatives fit the same standards as copper wiring. However, you can invest in high-quality XHHW, SER, SEU, RHH RHW-2, XLP USE-2, and direct burial cables.
Think About Bigger Picture When It Comes to Savings, Do Not Focus On The Price of the Cable Alone
We get it: there is always this wish to save money in the short term, but you have to think ahead as cables are a long-term investment first and foremost. Investing in high-quality, efficient cables of the new generation can save you more money down the road, even if those cables are more expensive right now. Another example of thinking ahead to save money is installing wire and cable one size larger than needed to save on the electrical bill.
Buy Cables From Reputable Sellers and Manufacturers Only
Do not buy wire and cable from websites that look like a scam, and always check the website if it seems unreliable. Finding prices that are cheaper than the market overall is excellent luck, but if the prices are 30% or 50% percent lower than market ones, the chances are that you are dealing with an unreputable seller.
If you did your fact-checking and know for a fact that sellers are reputable, you can browse the websites of several sellers and compare prices on products to find the cheapest option for your budget.
Buying cables from well-known manufacturers is an excellent strategy for a safe purchase. At Nassau National Cable, we sell cables from famous American brands Alpha Wire, Belden, Lapp, Okonite, and Lutze. Our prices are slightly lower than a market average as a result of close ties with suppliers.
