6 Essential Places to Consider When Installing Electrical Outlets at Home
Installing power outlets at home is necessary. But knowing the essential places while installing outlets is paramount. Read on to know more.
11/11/2023
Electrical outlets are inseparable amenities at home. It’s something you can’t live without. But as necessary as it sounds, it’s also irksome to realize how intricately you have to install those power outlets in the right places.
You can’t just haphazardly get done with outlet placement at your home. Pesky power outlet installment can leave your house with electrical hazards. Moreover, your family members may be at high risk of lasting injuries.
So, if you’re worried at this moment about how to solve this web-of-wires puzzle, here’s a list of six essential places at home to install electrical outlets. Let’s dive in.
1. Bedroom: Top Choice Without a Doubt
We’re not busting the other places in your house with the necessity for electrical outlets. But it’s a no-brainer that the bedroom is the ultimate place to spend most of your time while home.
So, you’ll need all sorts of power outlet facilities, including light fixtures, charging outlets, bedside lamps, ceiling fans, air conditioners, etc. Additionally, if you have an attached bathroom, a power outlet will be necessary for lights, geysers, etc.
Apart from the basic requirements, a bedroom may also require electrical outlets for a walk-in closet to illuminate the place when needed or for a computer desk to power up the PCs or laptops.
2. Bathroom: The Very Next Essential Place
After the bedroom, you must consider the bathrooms in your house for installing electrical outlets. While doing so, make sure of the NEC (National Electrical Code) requirements.
NEC requires every house to have GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupters) to ensure safety from random electrical shocks. Don’t confuse GFI vs. GFCI, as they’re interchangeable terms in electrical code requirements.
While planning to install power outlets in bathrooms, consider these necessary places:
● Inside the medicine cabinets with concealed
wire system
● Near the sinks with concealed
wire system
● Inside the drawers for
charging grooming tools like razors or trimmers
● Near the toilet for a night light for the kids
Moreover, be careful not to install the outlets too close to the shower or sink to prevent it from getting wet.
Placing the outlet should have a dimension of 3 feet horizontal and 8 feet vertical distance from the bathtubs and showers. Besides, place the power outlet at least one foot away from the sink, right or left.
3. Living Room: To Power up Relaxation
No matter what design you decorate your living room, it will all go well-spent with strategic power outlet placement.
You have to ensure that your family members' relaxing time is reassured by putting the right receptacles in the right place.
So, consider installing outlets:
● To cover the corners of each seating space
● On every wall, particularly in the middle
● On the main wall to power up the mounted
TV
● On the right or left side of the
fireplace mantle
● On convenient places on
the walls for charging stations
For safer planning, you may consult the NEC requirements to know how many power outlets are required in your living room for optimized performance.
An electrician may also suggest tips for arranging furniture in your living room for a convenient electrical outlet placement.
4. Kitchen: For More Functionality
The kitchen is a place that occupies active movements and tasks from dawn to dusk (and night as well). This is considered the heart of the house.
So, if you want to back this place with proper lighting and functionality, consider strategically installing the electrical outlets.
Consider going along with the kitchen interior plan. It will help you understand its functional requirements better while ensuring smooth accessibility for the users.
Hence, install a power outlet:
● Inside the pantry or storage room, it will
help charge small kitchen appliances
● In
the rear side of the drawers or cupboards
● 2
feet along each counter
● Above or near
kitchen cabinets
● On kitchen island
Following the right strategy to install power outlets in your kitchen will suffice the daily functionality and keep the family members safe from any electrical hazards.
5. Garage: For Smooth In and Out
A garage doesn’t only serve the purpose of storage anymore. It’s become a sophisticated place within residential properties. So, make sure you install the power outlets in the right places in a garage.
Consider installing electrical outlets:
● Near the parking stall if you have an
electrically powered car or an ebike
● On the
ceiling to electronically open and close the
garage door
● Close the workspace for
working with small tools
● Near each vehicle
bay, if yours is a multi-vehicle garage, not
more than five and a half feet above the floor
Also, consider having a 120-volt and 20-amp circuit with GFCI protection to safeguard the garage from unexpected power surges.
6. Home Office: A Timely Necessity
Today, home offices are more necessary than
ever to charge up residential entrepreneurs and
support hybrid work setups.
Hence, safe and
strategic power outlet placement at home is
required to back the electronic gadgets and
appliances.
Let’s find out the strategic places and corners of your home office to install electrical outlets:
● On every wall of your selected
work-from-home room
● Inside cabinets and
drawers
● On convenient heights leveled to
the work desk and tables
● For plugging USB
ports
● Under the desk for connecting a
power strip
On second thought, an overloaded circuit may be highly likely if you’re planning to transform your bedroom into a workspace. With this, one appliance may dim or function disorderly due to another device being hit on.
Hence, consult a certified electrician to upgrade your electric panel to prevent any dysfunctionality during your precious work hours.
Bottom Line
Apart from the above most basic and essential places, consider installing electrical outlets in your hallway, laundry rooms, front yard or backyard, garden, roof, etc.
Nevertheless, it’s paramount to identify the right places in each room for installing the power outlets. Moreover, you must install the outlets with a recommended power scale to avert any power hazards at home.
Your best bet will be hiring a certified electrician to plan and install the electrical outlets at your home with a hundred percent safety ensured.