Electrical Code Rules for Every Room in the House

What Electrical Code Rules are there for every room in the house? Electrical code rules are just one of many aspects that you need to consider when designing a new home or remodeling an existing one. Electrical codes vary depending on your area, so it is important to research them before starting any construction project. In this blog post, we will discuss Electrical Code Rules for Every Room in the House and how they can impact your electrical design decisions.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are electrical hazards. Some don’t have a lot of electrical items in them, but those that do can be tricky to get right the first time. The bathroom should always have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) protection as well as smoke detectors and CO alarms installed inside it. All electrical outlets in the bathroom need to be GFCI protected. All electrical work in the bath needs to have a ground wire, which must not come into contact with any metal pool or tub surfaces.

Bathrooms are electrical hazards because of all the electrical items that can be found there: electric toothbrush chargers, heated hair dryer cords, curling iron cords, electrical shavers and more. With all these electrical items in the bathroom it can be tricky to get them right the first time.

A GFCI protects a household’s wiring system from electrical shocks by rapidly shutting down electric power if an imbalance is detected between current flowing into a circuit and that flowing out of it.

Kitchen

The electrical code rules for the kitchen say that all outlets should be GFCI protected. The electrical panel in a home is also required to have protection against electrical shock from ground faults, and it’s good practice to install one outlet on every wall of at least 100 square feet of counter space.

If you live in an older home, you should make sure that electrical code rules are followed in the kitchen by installing GFCI outlets and turning off water to an electrical appliance if it is not being used.

The electrical panel also needs a separate circuit for each major appliance (for example, dishwasher). It’s important not to overload these circuits with too many appliances plugged into them, as they will shut down to prevent electrical overload.

Make sure you have GFCI protected outlets on the electrical panel and in the kitchen for safety reasons.

The electrical code rules also state that if a dishwasher is installed it must be on its own circuit with nothing else plugged into it other than the dishwasher itself (no other electrical appliances).

Living Room, Dining Room, and Bedrooms

The electrical code for the living room, dining room and bedrooms is less strict because of their size. The electrical codes are designed to protect people from shock hazards.

• In a bedroom, you can have one ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacle in the bathroom or outside each separate sleeping area within the bedroom.
• In a dining room, you can have one GFCI receptacle in the bathroom or outside each separate eating area within the dining room.
• In a living room, you can have two electrical outlets installed near an electrical wall outlet for use with appliances and three electrical outlets installed elsewhere in the same general vicinity of that electrical wall outlet, but no receptacles in the bathroom.

Stairways

Stairways are the most common place for electrical accidents to happen. Here’s what you need to know:

• All electrical projects on stairways should be done by a licensed electrician and inspected before use.
• Stairs must have at least one handrail that is 36 inches (91 cm) high, providing support if needed.
• All electrical work on stairs should have a handrail in place.
• If you’re installing an electrical outlet, make sure it’s not within six inches (15 cm) of the front edge or side of any treads or risers. Make sure that there are no other objects such as furniture blocking access to the electrical outlet.
• If you’re installing electrical wiring, make sure it’s not within 12 inches (30 cm) of the front edge or side of any treads or risers.
• Stairs should have electrical circuitry that is in accordance with Article 430 – Parts 76 through 86 for a Class II location – and be installed by an electrical professional.
• If you’re installing electrical wiring in a stairway, make sure there is an electrical outlet at the top and bottom of the stairs, including outside stairs with porches or decks that are accessible from inside.
• All electrical work should be inspected by a licensed electrician before using any new construction on a staircase for both safety and electrical code compliance.
• Electrical work in a stairway should be inspected by a licensed electrician before use to ensure that it complies with the electrical codes for stairs.
• Objects such as furniture near electrical outlets can block access, so make sure there is at least six inches (15 cm) of clear space around any electrical outlet.
• Electrical wiring should be at least 12 inches (30 cm) away from the edge of a step or riser, and electrical work on stairs in general must be done by licensed professionals.

With the help of our electrical code experts, you can be sure that your home is safe. We’ve provided a list of essential safety tips to follow when wiring each room in your house and we hope this information will make it easier for you to create an effective home renovation plan with one less worry! To learn more about what not to do around electricity or how to keep yourself safe from electric shocks while doing DIY projects around the house, continue reading through our blog posts on these topics.