|
Ask any homeowner and this seems to be one of the biggest
problems in any kitchen, all over this country. If you're the kind of
homeowner that has every gadget for cooking, you know there aren't
enough electrical outlets, no matter what, for all your kitchen
appliances.
How many electrical outlets should there be in a kitchen? Older homes
usually have a minimum of two outlets but some states require a minimum
of three. The electrical codes have changed over the years and newer
building codes, often vary from city to city and state to state.
Some of the cities that I have worked in, in Southern California,
require the electrical outlets to alternate. In other words, if you had
four outlets in a row and the numeric order of these outlets would be
one through four. In other words the first outlet on the left would be
plug number one, the next outlet on the right would be plug number two,
the third outlet on the right would be number three and the last
electrical outlet on the right would be plug number four.
Outlet number one and three would be on the same electrical circuit or
wiring. Outlet number two and four would be connected to the same
circuit or electrical wiring. This is to prevent overloading the kitchen
electrical system from countertop appliances.
Older homes seem to suffer from few electrical outlets, most homeowners,
solve this problem by using some sort of plug box that will enable them
to create six outlets from the original two. This often creates a safety
hazard and could start a fire if overloaded.
Some of these outlets will need to be replaced over time, if damaged
from these electrical plug extension boxes. They seem to heat up under
heavy use and expand, then when not in use they cool down and shrink,
eventually creating a gap between the connection, this gap will cause
the electricity to arch between the electrical outlet and the electrical
plug box prongs, causing the damage.
There is no simple answer for electrical outlet problems in the kitchen.
It's not wise to overload the circuits, if you choose to plug 5
appliances into one electrical outlet, you should only run one at a
time.
Remember electricity can be your friend of used wisely.
|
|
|