Residential Wiring Layout Tips

by DoItYourself Staff

Always keep in mind when working with residential wiring that you are working with electricity and safety should always be your first priority. Follow the tips and guidelines below when you are working with electricity in your home.

Circuit Breakers

Now that the demand for electrical power is high, there can never be enough circuit breakers in a home. This may sound extreme, but if you think about all the appliances you run in your home on a daily basis then the more circuit breakers the better to avoid constantly blowing circuits because of the amount of energy being generated. The types of circuit breakers that you get will depend on what local electricity codes your state and county has established, the size and the amount of Amps they will generate.

Electrical Outlets and Switches

The height of electrical outlets is usually outlined in the regulation codes set by your state or county, but most commonly the electrical outlet can be installed up to 16 inches from the floor.

Install switches roughly 48 inches from the floor and use a strategic state of mind in the location of the installation. You do not want to install a light switch where a door will constantly be opened and closed, at the top of a steep stairwell or on the furthest point from the entrance.

Three way switches are good to use if you have two entrances and exits from one room. This type of switch allows the lights or appliances to be turned on and off from different locations in the room. This is extremely beneficial in much larger rooms that include basements or entertainment alcoves.

Ceiling Lights and Fans

When you purchase a ceiling light or fan, assemble it as much as possible while on the floor before trying to install it to the ceiling. Asking someone else for help while installing it to the ceiling is also a good idea.

Tools

The tools that you use should have insulated grips for your safety and proper installation. Needle-nosed pliers, wire strippers, pliers and screwdrivers are the primary tools to use for any type of residential wiring installation and repair. Make sure that your tools are sharp because a dull cutter can be dangerous. This will cause you to pull, instead of cut, the wire and that can do damage to the house electronic system and a risk to your safety.

Other General Tips

The ground wire in your home will not have any electricity flowing through it, even though it is a bare wire and it attaches to an appliance frame. It may have a current running through it if there is a short circuit, but the circuit breaker should automatically cut flow to the appliance.

"Hot" wires, or the wires that have Amps running through them, are commonly black and red.

Never connect white wires and ground wires, except if you are doing it at the circuit panel bus bar. If these wires are connected and current flows through the white wire, then it will pass it onto the ground wire. This is very dangerous.