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Electrical codes are in place to protect you, the homeowner. These general guidelines apply to new installations and will give you the basics of what electrical inspectors are looking for and what you need to know for your house. Be sure to check with your local electrical inspector because local electrical codes may vary from the list provided. In the case of existing housing, the codes will apply if you are updating a home, and it requires an electrical update. You should also think of up-dating the wiring in your home if it is old and unsafe and it has become a danger to your family. Faulty wiring has caused many fires and even fatalities.

Bathrooms use a lot of power and may need more than one circuit. Mainly, because you may have a curling iron, razor, hairdryer, and the combination light, fan, and heater all running at the same time. The combination fan, light, and heater should have its own 20-amp circuit. Likewise, the outlet should have its own 20-amp circuit. All outlets in bathrooms should be GFCI’s. Light fixtures should be covered with lenses or globes and moisture resistant if placed in a shower or tub area.

A kitchen should have a separate circuit for each appliance with a motor. The microwave, refrigerator, garbage disposal, and dishwasher would be the major appliances included. Generally, the code requires that you install a minimum of two receptacle circuits in the area above the counter top. An electric range, cook top, or oven must be wired to a dedicated 240-volt circuit.

The living room areas and bedrooms require that a wall switch be placed beside the entry door of the room so that you can light the room before entering it. It can control either a ceiling light, a wall light, or an outlet connected to a desk lamp. The ceiling fixture must be controlled by a wall switch and not a pull chain type light. Wall receptacles should be placed no farther than 12 feet apart. Dining rooms usually require a separate 20-amp circuit for one outlet used for a microwave, entertainment center, or window air conditioner.

Special care is needed in stairways to ensure all of the steps are lighted properly. Three-way switches are required at the top and bottom of the stairs. If the stairs turn, you may need to add additional lighting to accommodate the area to be lit.

These areas can be long and need adequate lighting. Be sure to place enough lighting so shadows are not cast when walking. Remember, hallways are often escape routes in the event of inclement weather and emergencies. A hallway over 10 feet long is required to have an outlet for general purpose. Three-way switches are required for the two ends of the hallway. If there are more doors throughout the hallway, say a bedroom or two, then you may want to add addition four-way switches to the circuit outside the door of each room.

Closets must have one globe-covered fixture controlled by a wall switch. Exposed bulb fixtures, like pull-chain fixtures, get hot and come in contact with clothing or other combustible materials stored in closets. Although your existing home may have these fixtures, it is recommended that you change them for safety reasons.

In the laundry room, the washer and dryer should have its own 20-amp receptacle. In the case of an electric dryer, a separate 240-volt circuit should be installed.

Inside the attached garage there should be at least one switch controlling the lighting. It is recommended that three-way switches be installed for convenience between the doors. This lighting should be in addition to any garage door lighting that you may have. Garages need a separate circuit for at least one outlet. This is generally required to be a GFCI outlet. You should check your local code to be sure. When in doubt, make it a GFCI. Any outside outlets connected must be either a GFCI outlet or an outlet connected to a GFCI breaker.

Remember that the electrical codes are in place for your safety. Although you may believe that they are overkill at times, these practices save lives everyday. When it comes to electric safety, don’t become a statistic. Follow the rules of the codes and be sure to have your local electrical inspector give you the green light on your wiring for the safety of your family’s sake.

Whenever you are doing any wiring, even as much as replacing an outlet, make certain that all materials are approved by Underwriter’s Laboratories, Inc., an independent, nonprofit testing firm. The letters “UL” stamped within a circle are indicative of the article being approved by this independent underwriting laboratory.

When you undertake an electrical project in your home, be sure to do your work according to code. That might really sound simple, but a problem arises with overlapping codes. These include the National Electric Code (NEC), county codes, and local (city) codes.

Any manufacturer can send a product to Underwriter’s, which then runs a series a tests to make sure that the item is safe. If so, it then gets ’listed’ by the UL. A UL listing means that a product is known to be safe only for its intended purpose and use. A UL-listed lamp cord, for example, is safe on lamps. The lamp cord may not be used as permanent wiring in a house. Inspectors from the firm periodically visit the manufacturer’s plant to see that the product continues to meet UL standards. They may also buy the product at a later date and retest it to see that the safety standards have not slipped and are still up to, what is considered, ordinary and customary.

Electric equipment without UL listing may be somewhat cheaper, but you may also assume that it is of lower quality. With electrical equipment, this is something definitely to avoid. The slight additional cost of buying UL-listed merchandise is minuscule compared to what it will cost you later to replace cheap equipment when it breaks down and it most likely will.

So, besides the Underwriter’s Laboratories, Inc. (UL) approval of any and all items that you use to do your project, you must be certain that you use these items according to the proper codes that have been set forth through your county, city, state, area and the like.

Having these two necessary parts in mind, you must also be aware of the local and county codes for your immediate area in which the work will be done. This may not be the same codes that you employ in the area you live. So be sure to check out all codes that come into play with your project. As an example, the NEC approves of aluminum wiring, but some local codes now forbid it. To find out how codes apply to what you are doing in the area in which you are doing it, visit your local or county building inspector’s office.

 Since both the local and county codes are based on the NEC, you should know it. There is a guide that you can buy that comes in paperback that many professional electricians consider to be their ’bible’. It is called, “Wiring Simplified” by H.P. Richter. It is updated annually and includes practical interpretations of the Code, plus a great deal of information on wiring. You can find it in most large bookstores.

In the end, you must abide by the code that has authority and control over your residence or the place where you are performing the project. If you live or your project is being produced in the city, you must follow local codes. If you are in an unincorporated area, follow the county codes. Basically, you need a permit from your local building inspector’s office whenever you are to add on to your existing wiring. One is not needed if you were to only replace switches or receptacles but you do want one if you are to extend a circuit, which involves adding more wire to the existing wire when you replace your switch or receptacle.