More Power (grunt grunt grunt)

Our electrician, Power Tower, returned this weekend.  He stopped by last week to see the progress. 

 



 

We had to make a few decisions about outlets and cable.  With flat screen TVs now mounted on walls, there is no longer a need for a cable box near the floor.  Now they are50 inches (or more) high on the wall. 

We had to decide which way doors were going to swing, where beds and furniture might be located, and where a hanging TV would have the least amount of glare. 

With his knowledge on new construction, he knew the standards and code for the state.  

Did you know that in our state there is no "smoke alarm requirement applicable to existing homes not undergoing changes?"  In other words, unless you are remodeling your house there is no law stating that you must have a smoke detector in your house.   Wow.  Other states are more strict. 

For new construction, since, 2006, a "one-family or two-family unit dwellings to be equipped with interconnected smoke alarms that must receive their primary power from the building wiring."

I had no idea.  But I like it.  So does Walt Kowalski. That's exactly what Power Tower did for the smoke alarms.

 
The other electrical code requirement is a receptacle (outlet) every 12 feet in "every kitchen, family, dining, living, parlor, library, den, sunroom, bedroom, recreation, or room similar area of dwelling."

The idea behind this regulation is that no electrical device should require an extension cord. Sensible, but a power strip is sometimes necessary. 

 
We have brought the house up to code in more ways than one. However, it also means that if you set off the smoke detector on the first floor because you accidentally burn your toast, the alarm is going to sound on all floors and nobody in the house is going to sleep through it. 

I have never set off the smoke detector because I burnt my toast or the macaroni or the cheese on the nachos.  Nope.  Never. 

Power Tower drilled through all of the studs and is wiring the house as is standard now.  As Walt Kowalski and I were measuring to find the center of the rooms for the ceiling fan boxes, I was trying to remember how they had it wired previously. 

The house had very little wiring.  I think each room had only one over head light fixture, one power switch to turn it on, and one outlet.