While renovating an apartment or building a new house, we are required to choose new wall outlets that will serve us for many years.
Therefore, it is worth paying attention to this and not leaving it solely to the contractor or electrician's decision.
Sockets and switches are required in every room to control lighting and connect electrical appliances, so their placement should be carefully considered – as convenient and safe as possible.
There are different standards for the optimal arrangement and installation of switches and sockets , so we came to clear things up for you and prepared some important recommendations.
Location and height of socket installation
It is a good idea to plan in advance the locations of outlets in each area of the house, such as the computer, kitchen, bathroom, etc., and not to place them at the same height everywhere in the house.
It is recommended to place the sockets and switches after considering the location and size of the furniture in each room. This is important to avoid a situation where
Where the furniture hides the socket and allows for easy, safe and comfortable use.
When planning the locations of switches and outlets, it is also recommended to think about the computer infrastructure in the home and the integration of RJ45 outlets alongside the electrical outlets,
Especially in the outlets designed near the table in the rooms and next to every TV (especially if you also want it as a smart TV).
The Gwis sockets offer an elegant solution for combining several different modules in the same box. If we have a plan for the entire house
It will be smart (including WIFI operation of lighting, blinds, air conditioning, electric heater, etc.). It is recommended to consult in advance with companies that specialize in the field.
Even in a home that was not designed as a smart home, it is possible to integrate smart switches that make our lives more comfortable and cool.
Especially if we are in the process of renovation (a smart circuit breaker requires the use of rectangular boxes).
A smart switch comes with a WIFI control option via a phone or tablet with an app in Hebrew and the option to set a timer.
Automatic on and off, turning on multiple switches simultaneously, controlling light intensity, and more.
Lighting switches:
It is common to place the light switch at arm's length (about 0.9 m from the floor), but some people raise the switch to a height of 1.40 m from the floor.
And even 1.6 m. This allows flexibility with furniture and is comfortable for an adult or an older child who can already use electricity without a problem,
But high enough for small children. The disadvantage of high switches is in the design – they are simply more noticeable.
Socket height:
The European standard recommends installing sockets at a height of 30 cm from the floor.
Low placement of sockets and switches is convenient and allows them to be used without much effort.
Along with maintaining an aesthetic appearance and hiding the cable bundles of electrical appliances.
When the sockets are near a desk, it is advisable to place them above or below the height of the desk and avoid a position
It is not possible to use the socket after the furniture is placed. If you choose to place it above table height
It is advisable to be 1.10 m from the floor, and if below, then at a height of 0.3 m, in accordance with the European standard.
Sockets and switches next to the bed - 0.6 m to 0.7 m from the floor. It is recommended to have two switches for each light point,
To turn the light in the room on and off, even from the bed. It's called a toggle switch and this simple solution saves
The need to get out of bed and turn the heat on to turn off the light…
In a room with a double bed (usually the parents'), outlets and switches should be placed on both sides of the bed.
Kitchen sockets are recommended to be located approximately 20 cm above the countertop (usually 1.1 m from the floor) and 20 cm below the upper cabinet or any corner.
To allow the use of electrical accessories that protrude to the sides or height (such as a Sabbath clock ).
For the refrigerator, it is a good idea to place an outlet higher than usual and don't forget to prepare outlets for a dishwasher and/or garbage disposal, microwave, range hood, mixer, and more.
It may also be worth thinking about preparing for special mood lighting in the kitchen under the upper cabinet.
In bathrooms, sockets must be installed above a height of at least 90 cm.
It is recommended to install an outlet near the sink (waterproof, of course) for a shaver, hair dryer, etc., and of course, don't forget
Socket for installing a shower heater (recommended high above the door)
Additional key points to consider:
- It is a good idea to have at least one power outlet in each room and, if possible, not to connect all the outlets in the same room to the same phase.
So if there is a problem with one phase (and not a power outage in the entire house), it will still be possible to use electricity (especially recommended in the kitchen).
- In religious homes, it is recommended to avoid connecting all the outlets in the house to the Shabbat clock and to leave several outlets unconnected to the Shabbat clock,
For the benefit of devices that remain operating throughout the entire Shabbat (such as a fan or lighting).
- To improve safety, there are sockets with a safety switch, so that only if the switch is turned on does the socket work, and then there is no problem with low height.
Alternatively, there are sockets with safety covers for the socket openings. - It is recommended to consider placing sockets and switches at a low height in homes with people with motor limitations and the elderly.
For more information about switches and sockets available at Or-Shai Electrical, we recommend visiting the following categories in the store:
Sockets and switches in Bticino ,
Schneider sockets and switches
And also in the WIFI smart accessories category.
