What to Think About With Your Electrical Layout Before You Renovate Your Kitchen

One of the best renovations you can do in your home is a kitchen remodel. The kitchen is the room where many families spend much of their time chatting, hosting parties, and making delicious meals together. But before you begin tearing out your old countertops, we suggest that you spend time talking to an electrician to make sure your electrical system is up to date and is sufficient to handle your new additions. Everything from lighting to outlets should be considered while you plan your remodel.

Here are the top 5 things to think about when planning the layout of your new kitchen: 

1. Think About Your Outlets

Outlets need to be well thought out in a kitchen. There are electrical requirements that necessitate installing an outlet at least every four feet in the kitchen. You will also need a minimum of two 20-amp circuits in the kitchen. 

In the kitchen, it is better to install 20A outlets instead of 15A since kitchen appliances often use more electricity. Kitchens also need to include GFCI outlets since some of the outlets can be placed close to a water source. You may also want to consider installing USB outlets. That way, you can plug your phones and other devices directly into the USB outlets instead of using an adapter. You can find out more about outlet installation by contacting an electrician. 

2. Think About Your Appliances

You’ll want to think about what kind of appliances you want to include in your home. This will determine not only how many 20A outlets you need, but where they should be located and whether you need to upgrade your electrical panel. Finding a place for your major appliances such as your refrigerator, oven, and microwave should be one of the first things that you do.

3. Think About Your Lighting

Lighting can make your kitchen the most comfortable room in your house if you do it right. Planning out your lighting beforehand can help your electricians know what kind of electrical work needs to be done. Decide how many lighting fixtures you want, whether you want recessed or accent lighting, and whether you have any other special lighting needs.

4. Think About Your Electrical Panel

Many kitchen renovations can’t be done without upgrading the electrical panel. Have an electrician take a look at your remodeling plans and your current panel and let you know if you’ll need to upgrade the panel to something with more amps or adding a sub panel. 

5. Think About Your Safety

Your safety is always the most important consideration with any electrical work. Make sure to consult the National Electric Code (NEC) about the electrical requirements in your situation. You’ll want to find out where you need to install GFCI outlets to protect against electrical shock

Call an Electrician for Help With Your Kitchen Remodel!

If all of this talk about the National Electric Code, outlet installation, and panel upgrades sounds overwhelming to you, you can always have a good electrician come and take a look at your house to explain what you’ll need for your renovation. At GB Electrical Services, we are happy to provide a line by line item quote for the electrical portion of your kitchen remodel. Give us a call or visit us online!