The modern kitchen is a high-demand energy consumption area. It's full of kitchen appliances, GFCI receptacles, and dedicated light fixtures. Obey the building code!

How to Wire a Kitchen

The key to knowing how to wire a kitchen is forethought and planning. The use of electrical service in the kitchen surpasses any other room in the house. Consider how much electrical power the stove, oven, and range use. And the refrigerator? It's running 24/7. If there are kids in the house, it's a sure bet that it's fighting a brave battle to keep the contents cold and fresh.

There's lot more to electricity in the kitchen than meets the eye. Behind the scenes are special electrical receptacles, different kinds of kitchen lighting, many yards of Romex, an increasing number of appliances, and more.

Is a kitchen remodel on the DIY New Year's resolution list? How about supplying power to a laundry room, workshop, or "man cave"?

Types of Kitchen Lighting

The kitchen demands a lot of light; it's the site of food preparation and consumption. There was a time when family activities and socializing took place in the den or living room. Increasingly, now it's the modern kitchen.

• General lighting – Most kitchens start with a fluorescent fixture somewhere close to the center of the room. Using “daylight” fluorescent tubes give the overall kitchen a comfortable feel.

• Track lighting – Track lighting is handy because when the cook is busy working at the kitchen counter, her body is casting shade on the work area from that central fixture. LED light bulbs or low voltage halogen bulbs are popular with track lighting because they put light right where it's needed.

• Undercabinet lights – But what happens when the work area is under a kitchen cabinet? A good solution here is to install undercabinet light fixtures. Halogen light bulbs are the best choice.

• Can lights and pendant lights – These are round lights that do double duty: they spotlight specific areas of the kitchen and add character to the room.

• Cove lighting – Generally installed on top of kitchen cabinets, cove lighting directs light upwards. Again, this adds character to the kitchen area.

Planning for Kitchen Light Switches

Kitchen light switches must be strategically located. The general lighting switches should be situated at all entrances to the kitchen. Three way light switches may be used to control a designated series of light fixtures. It's a good idea to put all the kitchen lighting on its own 15-amp circuit.

Electrical Receptacles in the Kitchen

Local building codes really come into play with electrical receptacles in the kitchen. For example, they may specify that the refrigerator has a dedicated circuit. Not that it's likely to trip the circuit breaker by itself, but the food is an investment that must be protected from spoiling.

Local building codes often require two separate circuits for countertop receptacles because of the number of appliances that are likely to be operating at the same time. Additionally, GFCI receptacles will be required in areas that are likely to get wet. Plan on putting these on a 20-amp circuit.

Electrical Requirements for Kitchen Appliances

Ah, kitchen appliances are what make all that good eating happen! Install a 120/240-volt circuit for the cooktop, oven, or electric range. For the other appliances, install a 120-volt circuit.

Virtually all modern kitchens have garbage disposals under the kitchen sink. Run wiring from the disposal to a switch on the wall by the sink, close to the backsplash. Place the garbage disposal and the dishwasher on the same circuit.

It's easy to see why so much forethought must be given to electrical service in a new kitchen or when remodeling a vintage kitchen. And the cautious DIY remodeler will be prudent and over-install kitchen wiring.