It happens all the time. You are completing some sort of project outside of your house, or contemplating some sort of seasonal decoration, and you think to yourself, “I could really use some electricity here.”
Or perhaps you’re not satisfied with the way you have to string extension cords through a side door or out of the garage all across your lawn in the winter.
Well, maybe it is time to do yourself a home improvement favor that will save you time and energy over and over again in the weeks and months ahead.
Add one or more electrical outlets around the exterior of your house.
Place the external outlets strategically
When thinking about planning your outdoor outlets, examine the outside AND inside of your house thoughtfully. Ask yourself these questions. While none of them are necessarily deal-breakers, they will help give you a sense of the work you have ahead of you.
Is there electricity already running in the vicinity of your project? That will make it a lot easier and cheaper.
Are there cavities near joists close to where you want to put your outlets?
What kind of weather exposure does that portion of your home have from the outside? Will it be subject to driving rain and snowdrifts, which might make it susceptible to water and shorting out?
Will the placement affect the overall appearance of your home for the worse? Or can it easily be landscaped or otherwise hidden?
Use the right equipment for your external outlet
Once you have planned the location of your outlet or outlets, it’s time to prepare the right equipment.
Make sure that the outlet you select has a GFI – ground fault interrupter. This way if something unexpected happens, like it gets sprayed with a hose or becomes buried beneath a snowdrift, your house is protected.
You should also choose a weather barrier or enclosure that you can open and close for access to the outlet but that keeps it protected from the weather when not in use.
Use the appropriate wiring and a dedicated wire attached to your fuse box, with a dedicated circuit breaker. If you must, you can share an internal wire, but this is less safe for your project.
Adding a few external outlets is a time-consuming and challenging project. You might choose a local professional like Price Electric to make sure the work gets done quickly and professionally, and enhances the value of your home while making it easier to maintain.
