Household appliances in modern apartments and houses can be used a lot. Accordingly, living quarters are usually equipped with a large number of outlets. Sockets for connecting household appliances in the rooms, of course, must be located in full accordance with the requirements of electrical safety. When doing, for example, repairs in an apartment, among other things, you need to consider at what height to install sockets and where exactly to place them in rooms for various purposes.
Need for installation
Household appliances in houses and apartments are used much more today than, for example, only 10-20 years ago. More recently, in each residential area for a comfortable stay, it was enough to install a maximum of 1-2 sockets. Today, of course, residents will clearly miss such a number of nests.
Of course, to ensure the comfortable use of all household appliances available in the apartment, to the sockets left in the house from Soviet timestees and extensions can be connected. However, such a solution, of course, should be considered only as a temporary one. A large number of extension cords and tees, unfortunately, will necessarily have a negative impact on the electrical safety of housing.
If necessary, it is best to increase the number of sockets themselves in the apartment. Installing additional sockets will make the operation of a large number of household appliances in the house safe and convenient. But, of course, new elements of this type of electrical network in apartments should be installed with strict observance of certain rules.
Number of sockets in the house: regulatory requirements
At what height to make sockets - the question is certainly very important. However, we will deal with it in the article a little lower. To begin with, let's find out how many sockets, according to the regulations, should be provided in the rooms. Regulates the number of nests in the living quarters of apartments and houses in our country "Code of rules for the design and construction of SP 31-110-2003". According to this document, the rooms must be provided with at least one outlet for every 4 meters of the perimeter. In the corridor, according to the rules, it is supposed to install 1 nest for every 10 m 2. In a kitchen of any size, according to the regulations, at least 4 sockets should be installed.
On sale today, there are, among other things, double sockets. In living rooms, according to the regulations, such sockets can be considered as one, and in kitchens - exclusively as two.
Of course, such requirementsmust be carried out primarily by developers involved in the construction of houses. In a private residential building, its owners, if desired, can mount any required number of connection sockets. The owners of city apartments also have the right to install any number of additional outlets within their property. The only thing, according to the rules, is that it is not recommended to place such nests in an apartment or house on the same cable line.
At what height to install sockets: standards
No documents have been developed in our country that would provide for any restrictions in terms of choosing the height of installation of electrical sockets in residential premises. In GOST, in any case, there is no information about this. The only thing, in the same SP 31-110-2003, it is indicated that it is desirable to mount sockets at a maximum of 1 m from the floor level. At the same time, the location at such a height is only advisory in this document. The owner of the apartment can, if desired, mount sockets even under the ceiling. However, the choice of such an installation site, of course, is unlikely to make future use of the nests convenient.
How to mount?
The rules and regulations, therefore, do not give a specific answer to the question of at what height the sockets should be located in the house. The choice of this parameter depends, first of all, on the type of devices for which this particular socket is intended. For example, a socket for a computer and a printer is best placed lower - under the table where they are.installed. Under the router, which is often suspended in the apartment under the very ceiling, it may be more convenient to equip the nest as high as possible.
In old Soviet houses, the installation height of sockets was usually 70-90 cm from the floor level. In new apartments, the nests are most often equipped 30-40 cm above the plinth. The fashion for such an arrangement came to us from Europe. To plug a plug from a household appliance into such an outlet, you have, of course, to bend over. It is certainly more convenient to use sockets installed higher. However, a large number of nests located at such a height, most likely, will not reflect too well on the appearance of the room. Sockets mounted 40 cm from the floor are much less striking.
Installation of sockets according to the European standard at a height of 30-40 cm has another important advantage. In this case, the cables from electrical appliances themselves are located low and do not prevent the owners of the apartment from moving freely around it, and also do not spoil the appearance of the premises.
Can it be mounted directly above the baseboard
Installing nests below 30 cm from the floor level is allowed by the rules. However, it is still not worth placing sockets in the apartment in this way. Firstly, in this case it will become very inconvenient to use them. And secondly, installing sockets at a height of less than 30 cm from the floor level can lead to water getting into them during wet cleaning. This, in turn, will most likely cause a short circuit and a fire.
How to install in the kitchen
OnWhat is the height of the sockets in this room? In ordinary rooms, these elements of the household electrical network, as we found out, are mounted at a height of 30-40 cm from the floor level. In the kitchen, such an arrangement of nests may not always be convenient. Such rooms are usually not too large and are crowded with furniture very tightly. Climbing every time, for example, under the countertop in order to turn on any appliance for cooking, of course, will be difficult.
In the kitchen, sockets are therefore most often installed higher than in other rooms in the house. Usually in such rooms they are mounted in a row above the countertop. In this case, of course, they also need to be positioned correctly. At what height to install sockets in the kitchen above the countertop is, of course, a very important question. Nests are located most often 20-25 cm above the plane of the latter. Below, right above the tabletop itself, as well as above the floor, it is not recommended to mount sockets. Otherwise, when washing its surface, drops of water may enter the connection sockets.
Sockets for energy intensive appliances
In some cases, sockets in the kitchen are placed and not above the countertop. An example would be the refrigerator compartment. Using such an outlet, for obvious reasons, usually does not happen too often. Therefore, such nests are located in most cases at a level of 15 to 90 cm from the floor directly behind the refrigerator itself. In the same way, sockets are usually mounted for dishwashers and electric stoves.
With the location of the sockets for connecting all energy-intensive appliances, of course, you should decide at the stage of planning the arrangement of the kitchen. Too far sockets from the refrigerator, electric stove or dishwasher should not be. Otherwise, the wires from such equipment will interfere with the movement of people in the kitchen, as well as spoil its appearance.
Where not to install
At what height to install sockets, thus, it is clear. It is best to mount such elements 30-40 cm from the floor or 25 cm from the countertop. With regard to the height of the nests, there are no strict standards in our country. However, it is still necessary to choose the actual place for mounting sockets, taking into account the rules of the PUE. So, for example, the nests should be located:
- no closer than 50 cm from the gas pipe, boiler, boiler passing through the apartment;
- at least 60 cm from the sink and sink;
- no closer than 60 cm from the shower door.
It is allowed to install sockets in the bathroom. But in this case, they must be mounted together with an RCD or a distribution transformer. Of course, elements of this type should be installed in such rooms, exclusively intended for use in wet rooms. Only in this case it will be safe to use sockets for electrical appliances in the future. In baths and saunas, the rules of the PUE prohibit mounting sockets.
Switch Locations
On whatIt is best to install the height of the outlet, so the owners of the apartment themselves can decide. Some of these network elements in a room may be high, others low. Switches in residential premises, on the contrary, are supposed to be mounted exclusively on the same level. At the same time, such elements should be installed so that the on / off key works the same for them.
We also do not have any regulations governing the location of switches in our country. However, the installation of such accessories at the same level and with the same arrangement of keys makes their use in rooms very convenient. Switching off and on the light by the residents of the house or apartment using this method of installation will be carried out by the usual, well-established automatic movement.
Position height
The distance should be 30-40 cm from the floor - this is the answer to the question of how high the sockets are installed. And the switches in the premises of the house, of course, should also be mounted in such a way that it would be as convenient as possible to use them in the future. In old Soviet apartments, switches were usually installed quite high. To use them, the tenants had to stretch their hand up. Today, switches are installed most often, but a little lower.
Such elements of the household electrical network are mounted in most cases in our time next to the doors. In this case, the switches are usually located at the level of the blade handle. That is, they are installed at a height of about 90 cm from the floor. This arrangement makesthe operation of the switches is most convenient. For example, leaving the room, the tenant can turn off the light with his left hand, while opening the door with his right. That is, in this case, the landlord does not need to make absolutely no unnecessary movements.
Instead of a conclusion
The choice of the location of sockets and switches in height in the apartment is a very important matter. The network elements of this variety should be installed in such a way that it would be as convenient as possible to use them in the future. Most sockets in residential premises are mounted at a height of 30-40 cm from the floor. It is advisable to install switches next to the door at the height of its handle.
