Anyone who speaks of "surface" means a visible installation, e.g. B. from lines, sockets, bathroom fittings or doorbells. The counterpart to the surface-mounted installation is the flush-mounted installation.

Smart home components such as sockets and switches are available in both surface-mounted and flush-mounted versions. The flush-mounted installation is technically demanding, since work has to be done directly on the power supply. Laypersons are better off getting a professional to do this. Surface installation, on the other hand, is much easier and can be done quickly by anyone - even without technical knowledge.