About Cabling Installation & Maintenance

Our mission: Bringing practical business and technical intelligence to today's structured cabling professionals

For more than 30 years, Cabling Installation & Maintenance has provided useful, practical information to professionals responsible for the specification, design, installation and management of structured cabling systems serving enterprise, data center and other environments. These professionals are challenged to stay informed of constantly evolving standards, system-design and installation approaches, product and system capabilities, technologies, as well as applications that rely on high-performance structured cabling systems. Our editors synthesize these complex issues into multiple information products. This portfolio of information products provides concrete detail that improves the efficiency of day-to-day operations, and equips cabling professionals with the perspective that enables strategic planning for networks’ optimum long-term performance.

Throughout our annual magazine, weekly email newsletters and 24/7/365 website, Cabling Installation & Maintenance digs into the essential topics our audience focuses on.

  • Design, Installation and Testing: We explain the bottom-up design of cabling systems, from case histories of actual projects to solutions for specific problems or aspects of the design process. We also look at specific installations using a case-history approach to highlight challenging problems, solutions and unique features. Additionally, we examine evolving test-and-measurement technologies and techniques designed to address the standards-governed and practical-use performance requirements of cabling systems.
  • Technology: We evaluate product innovations and technology trends as they impact a particular product class through interviews with manufacturers, installers and users, as well as contributed articles from subject-matter experts.
  • Data Center: Cabling Installation & Maintenance takes an in-depth look at design and installation workmanship issues as well as the unique technology being deployed specifically for data centers.
  • Physical Security: Focusing on the areas in which security and IT—and the infrastructure for both—interlock and overlap, we pay specific attention to Internet Protocol’s influence over the development of security applications.
  • Standards: Tracking the activities of North American and international standards-making organizations, we provide updates on specifications that are in-progress, looking forward to how they will affect cabling-system design and installation. We also produce articles explaining the practical aspects of designing and installing cabling systems in accordance with the specifications of established standards.

Cabling Installation & Maintenance is published by Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

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Patrick McLaughlin

Serena Aburahma

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What you need to know about home equity loans

(BPT) - If you have large or unexpected expenses on the horizon, you may have access to an untapped resource: your home. You could use some of the equity you've built up in your house to meet financial goals, depending on how much equity you have and how you use it.

Here's a guide from the experts at Navy Federal Credit Union to explain how home equity loans work and when you should - or shouldn't - use your home's equity.

What is a home equity loan?

In basic terms, a home equity loan is money you're borrowing using your home as collateral. The equity in your home equals how much of your home's value you actually own (not counting the mortgage you're still paying off).

Home equity loans are frequently offered at lower interest rates than other loans, so they may be a great option for consolidating debt on higher interest credit cards, or large home improvement projects.

You can determine how much equity you have in your home, and how much your home equity loan payments are likely to be, using online calculators.

Here are the two most common types of home equity loans:

Fixed-rate equity loan: This is a lump sum amount you'll draw from your home's equity, paying back monthly at a fixed interest rate for the life of the loan, so you'll know exactly what to expect. Fixed-rate home equity loans are typically used for:

  • Home improvements/repairs
  • Debt consolidation
  • Large purchases
  • Life events

Home equity line of credit (HELOC): This is a line of credit secured by the home, which lets you borrow funds if and when needed, up to a set maximum credit limit. You only have to repay the funds you borrow. HELOCs are typically used for:

  • Home improvements
  • Emergency funds
  • Medical expenses
  • Debt consolidation

The best use of a home equity loan or home equity line of credit is when the money you borrow increases your home's value via renovations or repairs, as this continues building the equity you're borrowing against. You may also have tax benefits for using the loan toward home improvements, so it's recommended to consult a tax professional.

When NOT to use a home equity loan or HELOC

Because these loans use your home as collateral, remember that you'll want to be sure you can stay on track with loan repayments. For this reason, financial experts advise against using home equity to borrow for things including:

A car purchase: An auto loan is usually a better choice for purchasing a new or used vehicle. Interest rates on auto loans tend to be similar or lower than home equity loans, and auto loans usually require little paperwork and fewer fees.

Vacations: It's better to save up for near-term wants like vacations or large-screen TVs than using your home's equity for something offering no financial return.

College: Consider all options - including federal student loans, scholarships, grants and private student loans - before tapping into home equity. A home equity loan may be a consideration if current mortgage rates are significantly lower than federal student loan rates, especially for graduate or professional degrees. But unlike federal student loans, if you use home equity to pay for college, you won't qualify for income-driven repayment plans or loan forgiveness programs.

Starting a business: Your best bet for launching a business is a business loan through a financial institution or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). If your business fails and you have a home equity loan or HELOC you can't repay, you're putting your home on the line.

Recurring expenses: Using home equity to cover everyday bills can be a slippery slope. Consider your long-term ability to repay the loan. Since your home is your collateral, missed payments could lead to foreclosure.

Make a smart plan

Your home equity is a valuable resource for managing your finances. Planning ahead and understanding your repayment responsibilities is crucial for making the best use of a home equity loan or home equity line of credit. For more information and to explore your home equity options, visit NavyFederal.org/equity. Navy Federal is federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender.

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