Building a new home for your family is an exciting time. Safety is essential when you are creating a space that meets all of your family’s needs. Requirements and codes may be different for each room, so make sure you have everything covered.
Bathrooms
Your family uses the most water in bathrooms, so be extra careful with wiring and electrical. When water sources are present, all outlets must have GFCI, or ground-fault circuit-interrupter, protection. This will stop the power if there is any current escaping.
The outlets in your bathroom should be served by a 20-amp circuit. One circuit can serve a full bathroom, but any vent fans or heaters will need a dedicated 20-amp circuit. Light fixtures, especially in the shower or bath area, should be rated for wet places.
Kitchens
The kitchen is the room in your house that will use the most power. That means you should be especially careful to have the electrical done right!
Most kitchens will require multiple circuits with GFCI protection. This guarantees that every appliance has enough power, and your electrical system doesn’t get overloaded. Portable appliances will require 20-amp, 120-volt circuits. Larger appliances will also need a 120-volt circuit, but the amp circuit may be different. Appliance manufacturers include amp information to help you get the correct circuits in place.
Bedrooms, Living Rooms, and Dining Rooms
There are very clear requirements for these general living spaces. These rooms tend to be larger, so these regulations ensure electrical power reaches everything.
All living spaces must have a wall switch by the room entry that controls wall and ceiling lights. If you have an overhead light, it must be controlled by a switch and not by a pull string. There must be an outlet on each wall, and they cannot be more than 12 feet apart. Dining rooms typically require a separate 20-amp circuit for an outlet to fit a portable appliance like a microwave or air conditioner.
Contact Winters Electric LLC today for all of your new home electrical needs.