In a week or so, we are tearing off drywall in our living room. I know that the time will be right to knock out a couple of small electrical projects I've always wanted for that room. I have some experience, but need some help.

With the drywall off of this room's walls, I can run anything from my breaker panel, through my unfinished basement, to this room.

1. I currently have a ceiling fan (just fan, no light) wired to an outlet from the room above. We have been operating it with the pull-chain. I would like to put this on a switch. I know that a Lutron speed control switch is necessary. Should I run a new circuit for the fan, or pull the power off of another existing living room circuit?
2. I plan to install an exterior outlet outside of that room, now that I can shoot through the temporarily-open living room. Should this be its own (new) circuit? If I might one day run electrical to a yard shed, would this be the right time to make this new exterior outlet its own circuit... that could one day be extended to the shed?
3. From those with experience, is there anything else that I should consider doing while the walls and ceiling are all open, before re-insulating and drywalling? I am happy with the number of outlets in the room, but wonder if I am not thinking of something that I would want down the road. For example, I have no immediate plans for surround sound, but would I be crazy to not run wires for something like this now?

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

Do you think you will ever want surround sound speakers? Now is a good time to run the wires in the wall.

 

Possibly... but the other items are a much higher priority.

 

In a living room, it is a good idea to run some RG6 coax cable and cat 5 for TV/network access. If you have two "smart" appliances you might want to double the cat5.

I would not run a separate circuit for the fan. You might want to run a separate circuit (or a multiwire) for the outside box if you might power a shed.

 

Note... the current living room circuit consists of 7 outlets, with the top of each controlled by two switches.

 

The outlets will be wired using a 3 wire cable (black/red/white). You can freely change which receptacles are switched and which are not with just a little rewiring of the device.

 

Take power for the ceiling fan from one of the recepticles to the fan switch?

 

That would likely be fine depending what else is on that circuit. Fans do not take very much power.

 

I have decided to take the opportunity to rewire the entire circuit from the panel. Amazingly, I haven't been able to find a wire diagram for this ANYWHERE online. Can anyone direct me to (or draw) this?
7 half-hot outlets... controlled by two 3-way switches.