Basement Outlet Standards

Standards

• Local and state building authorities are free to use their own standards unless they violate federal statutes or are found to be less stringent than national standards. As a matter of course, most building regulations in the country are based on the International Residential Code, which is managed by the International Code Council. This non-profit member organization ensures that construction, electrical and basement outlet standards remain consistent throughout the country. The Council was established in 1994 through the efforts of three code bodies, with three different building standards, that existed at the time.

Basements

• Basements need at least one receptacle outlet, in addition to those provided for such utilities as furnaces or water softeners. Finished spaces, such as bedrooms or bathrooms, require the outlets specified for those rooms in non-basement areas. If a basement has finished and unfinished spaces, then each unfinished space also requires a receptacle outlet.

Unfinished

• Unfinished basements are defined as spaces unintended as habitable rooms, and used instead as storage areas or workspaces. Any 125-volt, single-phase outlet GFCIs require ground-fault circuit-interruptor circuits. An exception are receptacles solely used to supply power to fire or burglar alarm systems. These special circuits protect you from electrocution by preventing deadly shock, and not necessarily shock. They do so by sensing electrical problems in appliances or lights that are plugged in, and then turning off power in the protected receptacle. As an additional precaution, the outlets shut down even when detecting small leaks of current from the human body, a wire, pipe or water. Tripped GFCIs can receive power again when you press their red reset buttons.

Receptacles

• Electricians can also turn to the standards imposed on general outlets to guide their basement installations. These outlets must be rated at 125 volts and 15 to 20 amps, unless they are part of a light or appliance, are located inside a cabinet or cupboard, are controlled by a wall switch or located more than 5.5 feet above the floor. They are placed in habitable areas, such as kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, dens and bedrooms. Such areas require outlets spaced at least 12 feet from other outlets, as measured around wall surfaces. The outlets must also be at least 6 feet from any door or window openings.