{"id":9510,"date":"2021-12-15T13:29:45","date_gmt":"2021-12-15T19:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/?p=9510"},"modified":"2024-05-01T10:03:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T14:03:17","slug":"national-electrical-code-houston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/?p=9510","title":{"rendered":"Whole-Home Surge Protection &#8211; National Electrical Code\u00a02022 (Houston)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Almost everyone has faced the problem of electrical shocks through home appliances at one time or another. New electronic devices are hitting the market every passing day, which means that standard circuits may not handle all this electricity. For example, suppose there were five computers and six lamps in a room. In that case, it might overload the circuit breaker due to too much electricity consumption. You can prevent this by installing whole house surge protection &#8211; national electrical code.<\/span><\/p>\n<table id=\"content\" class=\"centeralign\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: center;\">Contents<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#1\">National Electrical Code (NEC)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#2\">Number of Circuits Required<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#3\">What does the National Electrical Code regulate?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#4\">Who enforces the National Electrical Code?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#5\">How many circuits do I need in my house?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#6\">Can you put outlets and lights into the same outlet?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#7\">FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#8\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"1\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">National Electrical Code (NEC)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The code is a document created by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfpa.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The National Fire Protection Association<\/a>. It is an attempt to develop guidelines for safety regarding the installation of wiring and equipment used in homes across America. It also specifies requirements for grounding systems for residential buildings.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Regulates<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The code regulates the installation of electrical wiring and equipment in buildings. It also outlines guidelines for grounding, but only as it pertains to residential buildings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In addition to providing safety rules, it also serves as a base document for state or local building codes authorized by the authority having jurisdiction. This is a local government agency such as a municipality or county government in most cases. The NEC is developed through code development \u2013 a code development cycle \u2013 which includes research, field testing, and evaluation of test results by panels of experts before recommendations are proposed to the voting membership for adoption into the NEC.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This process can take two to three years from beginning to end before an item becomes an official part of the NEC.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Enforced by<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The authority having jurisdiction enforces the code. An &#8220;authority having jurisdiction&#8221; is defined as a governing body with the legal power to regulate electrical installations; typically, it is the local permitting authority. However, more than one agency may regulate electrical installations within a particular area in some cases. For example, if you live in Washington D.C., both District of Columbia and Federal agencies can have regulations for installing electrical equipment or devices.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"2\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Number of Circuits Required<a href=\"http:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Whole-Home-Surge-Protection-National-Electrical-Code-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-9511\" src=\"http:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Whole-Home-Surge-Protection-National-Electrical-Code-1.jpg\" alt=\"This is an image of a worker keeping electrical up to code.\" width=\"659\" height=\"285\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">According to the NEC, every room should have at least one dedicated 20-amp circuit installed inside it (for receptacles), plus one dedicated 15-amp circuit (for lighting). There are no minimum requirements for bathroom receptacles. Still, we recommend installing at least one 20-amp dedicated circuit to power the <a href=\"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/electrical-help\/incandescent-vs-led\/\">lights<\/a> and any exhaust fans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For small bedrooms (up to 144 square feet), you can get away with a 15-amp dedicated circuit; for large bedrooms (over 144 square feet), consider installing two 15-amp dedicated courses instead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It&#8217;s important to note that 1-1\/2-story homes should have at least one 20-amp or two 15-amp circuits per floor or level of your home, except in kitchens and dining rooms which must have at least one 20-amp receptacle. Basements, garages, and accessory structures don&#8217;t count toward the minimum number of circuits required inside your house. You should also note that the NEC requires at least one 20-amp receptacle in every kitchen. Homeowners should use this for all high-powered appliances (such as microwaves).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">According to the NEC, you must install at least five 20-amp circuits throughout your house since it has two floors.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"3\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What does the National Electrical Code regulate?<a href=\"http:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Whole-Home-Surge-Protection-National-Electrical-Code-1000-x-1500-px-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-9512 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Whole-Home-Surge-Protection-National-Electrical-Code-1000-x-1500-px-1.jpg\" alt=\"This is an infographic describing the National Electrical Code and its purpose.\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The code regulates the installation of electrical wiring and equipment in buildings. Including, but is not limited to, the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Installation of wiring<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Installation of equipment<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Grounding systems<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"4\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Who enforces the National Electrical Code?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The local government agencies, such as municipalities or county governments, enforce the National Electrical Code. In most cases, these agencies get authorized by the authority having jurisdiction to adopt the NEC into their respective building codes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"5\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How many circuits do I need in my house?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There is no specific number of required circuits in a house. It depends on how much electricity is consumed and what type of devices are using the electricity. For example, suppose there are five computers and six lamps in a room. In that case, it might overload the circuit breaker due to too much electricity usage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"6\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Can you put outlets and lights into the same outlet?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It is discouraged to put outlets and lights into the same outlet. This can overload the circuit and cause electrical shocks, and it is best to use a separate outlet for each device. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Factors to consider when installing whole-home surge protection:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The number of devices in your home<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How much energy each device consumes<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The age of your electrical wiring<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The layout of your home&#8217;s electrical wiring<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The type of surge protector you use<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When selecting a whole-home surge protector, it is essential to consider the above factors. In addition, surge protectors come in different shapes and sizes, so it is necessary to find one that fits your needs. Some whole-home surge protectors also offer phone and internet protection, as well as power backup during outages.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"7\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0Q: How do I know if I need whole-home surge protection?<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0A: You should consider whole-home surge protection if you have a home with older electrical wiring. Suppose you have multiple devices that consume too much energy or live in an area prone to power surges.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0Q: What is the difference between a whole-home surge protector and a standard surge protector?<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0A: Whole-home surge protector&#8217;s purpose is to protect your entire home from electrical surges. In contrast, standard surge protectors purpose to cover only individual devices.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0Q: Can I use a standard surge protector instead of a whole-home surge protector?<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0A: No, using a standard surge protector instead of a whole-home surge protector won&#8217;t provide the protection you need. It is essential to use the appropriate type of surge protector for your needs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Q: What is the current version of the National Electrical Code?\n<ul>\n<li>A: <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The current version of the National Electrical Code is the 2020 Edition.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"8\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">National electrical code is becoming more and more critical as new electronic devices hit the market. It helps protect your home from electrical shocks and fires and enforces it by local government agencies. For the best protection, be sure to consult with a <a href=\"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/greater-houston-electrician\/contact-electrical\/\">Houston Electrician<\/a> about what type of whole house surge protection is right for your home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/\">Mister Sparky Electrician Houston<\/span><\/a>, America\u2019s On-Time Electrician, serves Houston, Texas and the cities of Katy, Sugar Land, Cypress, Spring, The Woodlands and others with a team of certified electricians. In addition to emergency electrical repairs, some of the electrician services provided by the company include electrical outlet\/switch repair, ceiling fan installation, lighting installation, wiring repair, landscape lighting installation and home electrical inspections. Call us today at:\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"about:blank\"><a href=tel:+12819078418>281-907-8418<\/a><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n  \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n    \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n    \"@id\": \"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/electrical-help\/national-electrical-code\/\"\n  },\n  \"headline\": \"Whole-Home Surge Protection - National Electrical Code\",\n  \"description\": \"This is an article about all of National Electrical Code and the standards it sets for electrical work in America.\",\n  \"image\": [\n    \"http:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Whole-Home-Surge-Protection-National-Electrical-Code-1.jpg\",\n    \"http:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Whole-Home-Surge-Protection-National-Electrical-Code-1000-x-1500-px-1.jpg\",\n    \"http:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Whole-Home-Surge-Protection-National-Electrical-Code-.jpg\"\n  ],  \n  \"author\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"Electrical Help\",\n    \"url\": \"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/electrical-help\/\"\n  },  \n  \"publisher\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"Mister Sparky Electrician Houston\",\n    \"logo\": {\n      \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n      \"url\": \"http:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/electrician-logo.png\"\n    }\n  },\n  \"datePublished\": \"2021-12-15\",\n  \"dateModified\": \"2021-12-15\"\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Almost everyone has faced the problem of electrical shocks through home appliances at one time or another. New electronic devices are hitting the market every passing day, which means that standard circuits may not handle all this electricity. For example, suppose there were five computers and six lamps in a room. In that case, it&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":9513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[286,291],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-electrical-help","category-electrical-code"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9510\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mistersparky-houston.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}