In short
Adding power points cuts down on extension leads and overloaded power boards, and spreading appliances across circuits stops breakers tripping. A good installation hides the cable inside wall cavities, ceilings, floors or built-in furniture, using surface ducting only where there is no other way. In NSW, power point installation requirements are simple: a licensed electrician does the work, new power circuits must be protected by a safety switch, and the electrician lodges a CCEW for it.
If you would rather have it checked, Ambient Electrical offers power point installation in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
Why more power points make a home safer
Fewer long cords running across floors means fewer trip hazards and less wear on leads. Having an outlet where you need it also stops people chaining power boards and double adaptors, which is how outlets overheat.
More power points, spread across circuits, also spread the load, so no single circuit is overloaded and breakers trip less often.
Hiding the cabling
One clear sign of a good power point job is how well the cable is hidden. A careful electrician runs it through wall cavities, the ceiling or floor space, or fixed furniture such as built-in robes. Surface ducting is sometimes the only option, on solid brick or sandstone walls for example, but it should be the exception.
Moving, replacing and upgrading
- Relocating a power point to suit a new kitchen, desk or TV position
- Replacing cracked, loose or discoloured power points
- Upgrading to double power points, or power points with USB charging
- Weatherproof outdoor power points for patios, gardens and sheds
Safety switches on new circuits
New power circuits must be protected by a safety switch (RCD), which cuts the power if it detects the kind of current leakage that comes before an electric shock. If your switchboard has no safety switches, adding power points is a good time to fix that.
Sources
- NSW Government: Electrical safety in the home
- NSW Government: When to submit a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW)
Ambient Electrical is an electrician in Balmain, the Inner West and Kensington, and works across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
