3 Electrical Considerations When Remodeling Your Kitchen

When you remodel your kitchen, you need to think about more than just the type of countertops and appliances you want to put in your kitchen. You also need to plan on how you want to rearrange the lights, outlets, and appliances in your kitchen, and what type of rewiring will need to be done to achieve these objectives.

Think About Where You Need Outlets

As you plan your kitchen remodel, really think about where you need outlets in your kitchen. You should put an outlet anywhere where you would use a small appliance in your kitchen, as most small appliances need to be plugged in.

For example, maybe you want a built-in bread cabinet with a toaster inside. You would want to put an outlet inside the bread cabinet. Or maybe you want a built-in space for a microwave or coffee maker; again, those are locations where you would want an outlet nearby.

Also, think about where on the counter you would use more portable appliances. For example, where would you be standing when you would use the blender or need to use a hand mixer?

With careful planning, you can have outlets near where you need them. You don't want cords stretching across your kitchen, so more outlets are better than less. Make sure you have GFCI outlets, which can handle getting wet, installed as well.

Carefully Plan the Location of Large Appliances

If you want to change where your large appliances are located, you may have to change the wiring as well. Most large appliances need their own dedicated 240-volt outlet, so you can't just switch the location of the fridge and plug it into a normal outlet. Once you decide where you want your appliances to go, you will need to inform your electrician so they can install the proper outlets.

Think About Your Lights

Finally, you need to consider where you want lights in your kitchen. You can install multiple types of overhead lighting, such as recessed lights, as well as hanging downlights, in your kitchen. You can also install lights under your cabinets to create more of an ambiance and to provide light when doing specific tasks. Then, you need to determine where to put the light switches.

Before you start the remodeling work on your kitchen, sit down, and plan out the electrical plan for your kitchen. The electrical work will need to be done at different stages of the remodeling process and having a solid plan for the electrical wiring will help your remodeling project go off seamlessly.

For more information, reach out to a company like Electric Smith Inc.  

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