Thanks to advances in the technology of low-voltage lighting, Kansas City homeowners now have the ability to make exciting changes to their outdoor areas. While there are several DIY outdoor lighting options available, it’s also important to know when you will need the help of a professional electrician for your backyard electrical wiring projects.

Running Outdoor Outlets

Chances are there’s a hose bib outside of your home, but is there an outlet? Putting an outlet in your backyard offers many benefits. It allows you to power lighting, cooking tools, fans, and more. Electricians understand that you will need a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet or breaker to ensure safety and to keep the property up to code.

For example, you are going to have to splice off a current internal outlet and risk and overload of the circuit, or you may have to wire an entirely new outlet from your main box. Both of these involve flipping breakers, running or splicing new wire, and several other, possibly risky steps.

While this is necessary for lighting, dedicated outlets are essential if you enjoy cooking outside. For example, if you have plans to use a pellet barbecue or an outdoor smoker, you are going to need consistent access to a reliable source of power. Without this, you may face a hazardous situation if the circuit winds up overloaded and the burning pellets aren’t able to move through the hopper.

Electricity and Water

If you have plans to run any type of low-voltage underground wiring as a source of power for your garden lighting or path lighting, you may be able to handle this on your own.

However, if there’s a need for heavier cable or a trench for conduit, it’s in your best interest to hire a professional electrician to help with this. There are several risk factors along with local Kansas City codes to remember when running conduit or burying cable underground. If you aren’t confident in doing this on your own, you may put your safety and your home at risk.

Remember, when you run backyard electrical wiring, such as conduit or cable, it may be exposed to yard tools and lawnmowers. It will also be exposed to water from your sprinkler system. Hiring a professional to ensure your cable is buried at the proper depth is a smart investment in your home and in your safety.

Even if you only plan on working on your deck and running power to your pool lights or a hot tub, it can be a huge challenge, along with a safety concern. Regardless of how much experience you have, a pool filter or hot tub are probably going to require a dedicated source of power and it may require the power to be tied back to your main box.

Call the Professionals for Help

If you are planning on running backyard electrical wiring to any outdoor area around your KC home, it’s a good idea to reach out to an electrician for help. We can ensure everything is done safely and that you get the desired results!