When I moved into my first home, I remember that the electrical outlets seemed to be placed at random. Some were higher than others, and there were even some halfway up the wall. I knew they needed to be put all at a uniform level, but I wondered what was the standard basement electrical outlet height?
Standard basement electrical outlet height is 15” as per the NEC – National Electrical Code. This measurement is taken from the bottom of the receptacle box to the level of the floor below. There are no special guidelines for basement outlet height as per the NEC – they are the same height as any other floor.
In this article, we’ll take a look at everything you should know about installing an electrical outlet in your basement, including code specifications, practical installation tips, and safety considerations.
What is the Standard Electrical Outlet Height in a Basement?
Building code stipulates minimum and maximum heights for basement electrical boxes. It doesn’t mean all homes built to code will have their outlets at the minimum height. Many consider the ideal height a bit higher – anywhere from 16” to 18”. Some find slightly higher outlets look better and are easier to reach.
If you ask an electrician, they are most likely to say they install outlets at 18” from the top of the receptacle box. This is the same as 15” from the bottom of the box since common electrical outlet receptacles are 3” tall by 2” wide.
Whichever height you choose, make sure it adheres to code and that all the basement outlets are placed at the same height. Keep in mind that electrical outlets for baseboard heaters do not need to follow the minimums for electrical outlet height.
Minimum Height for Outlets in Basement
A basement electrical outlet should be, at minimum, 15” from the floor. This measurement is measured from the bottom of the receptacle box. Remember that a receptacle box is a metal or plastic box that contains the wires connecting the power supplying the outlet. It is not the plastic covering that goes over and around the outlet.
Minimum heights exist for several reasons. First, outlets need to be raised off the ground to avoid any moisture damage from flooding, spills or any other type of water a house encounters. Second, having an outlet close to the ground risks other physical damage, which is also inconvenient.
What is the Maximum Height of a Basement Electrical Outlet?
The maximum height a basement electrical outlet can be from the floor level is 4’, measured from the top of the receptacle box. An outlet can be anywhere below this height, down to the minimum of 15” from the bottom of the receptacle box.
What is Code for Outlets in the Basement
There are many other factors to consider when installing outlets in a basement. The first thing to know is that there are different standards for finished basements and unfinished basements. In this section, I’ll go over everything you need to know about electrical outlets and electrical building code in a basement.
How Many Outlets Can I Have in a Basement?
You can have up to 10 outlets on a 15 amp breaker and up to 13 outlets on a 20 amp breaker on one circuit. Most homes don’t approach that number of outlets on one circuit. You cannot have more than 6’ of wall run without an outlet. Any length of wall greater than 24” needs an outlet, too.
There is no distance minimum for outlets in a basement – they can be as close together as you’d like. If you have a sump pump, the outlet for it must be on its own circuit. If your laundry room is in your basement, you’ll need to have a separate circuit for that room, with an outlet for the laundry and another one for other devices, at a minimum.
Do Basements Need GCFI Outlets?
It depends. If any part of your basement is unfinished, then you need at least one GCFI outlet on each circuit with an outlet in your basement.
Why do you need a GCFI outlet? Unfinished spaces are considered to be more “wet” than a finished space. Consider an unfinished concrete floor. Concrete has lots of water in it. The GCFI can sense a difference in current going into and out of the receptacle and break the circuit for safety. This can save your receptacle and also your life in an extreme event.
If you don’t have a GCFI outlet, then a circuit that comes into contact with moisture won’t necessarily shut off. The breaker serves to protect against overload, but no differences in current that dropping your toaster in a tub would cause. This is why having a GCFI outlet is so important.
All unfinished spaces in a basement need at least one GCFI per circuit, and any outlet within 6’ of a sink, tub, or laundry must also be a GCFI outlet.
Other Basement Outlet Code Tips
A few other basement electrical code tips to consider is that you cannot have any barrier below an outlet that extends beyond 25”. If you have a counter or a shelf just below an outlet, then it cannot extend beyond that measurement.
Remember that all outlets should be properly grounded to the grounding screw provided in each receptacle box. Pigtail your grounding wires to both the green grounding screw on the outlet itself and the receptacle box grounding screw.
Finally, ensure that all outlet boxes are flush to the finished wall. This is important because you do not want gaps between the outlet box and the interior of your basement. If you have drywall, then the box should be flush against the surface of the drywall. This prevents wires from sneaking out of the box and potentially touching insulation, vapor barrier, or the drywall itself.
Finished Basement Electrical Code
If you have a completely finished basement – without any unfinished areas – then you do not need GCFI protection on your outlets. But do you have a finished basement? Many municipalities seem to differ about what constitutes a finished basement.
In general, a basement with no unfinished spaces – except a furnace room – is considered to be finished. Therefore, beyond outlets near water sources, you will not need GCFI outlets.
On the other hand, if you have a finished basement with a utility room and a furnace room, then you are still considered to have an unfinished basement. Even if all the other areas of your basement are finished besides those two spaces, the entirety still requires a GCFI outlet on each circuit in the entire basement.
Finished vs. Unfinished Basements: Electrical Outlets
A finished basement specifically refers to having the floor covering – no bare concrete – and finished walls. Those walls can be drywall, paneling, or even plywood but not concrete or studs and insulation with nothing over it.
Basements considered finished also require the same HVAC, plumbing, and electrical as the floor above. You also need interior egress – interior stairs – and windows that can provide an emergency escape. At least one window per basement plus one per basement bedroom.
If your basement has checked all of those boxes, and you only have a furnace room beside the finished space, then your basement is finished. No need for GCFI outlets beside the areas near water.
Do I Need a Permit to Install a Basement Outlet?
You do need a permit to install electrical outlets. Installing a basement electrical outlet is simple. However, if done improperly, serious damage can occur, such as fire or shock resulting in death. This is why all municipalities mandate permits for basement outlet creation or changing.
You’d be surprised how easy it is to mess up an electrical outlet installation in any part of your home. People often mix up the copper and silver screws or don’t screw the connections tight enough. Sometimes they screw too tightly and the wire breaks. All of these instances trip a breaker, but every situation is different.
One safety technique you can use when installing a basement outlet is to wrap the outlet terminal screws in electrical tape after attaching them to the wires. This covers the live parts of the outlet and will protect a child if they happen to get curious and poke their fingers into the box.
Basement Electrical Outlet Height Tips
When installing electrical outlets in your basement, consider the following tips for how high you should install them:
- Make outlets a uniform height
- Get a permit
- Only one GCFI per circuit necessary
- Furnace rooms require their own light and switch at the entrance
- Sump pump on own receptacle
Put your basement outlets at the 15” minimum from the bottom of the box. When it comes time to install the receptacle boxes, you’ll simply need to measure 18” from the finished floor. This puts your outlets at a standard followed by most builders and homes.
Even if you have a completely finished basement, it doesn’t hurt to have one GCFI outlet per circuit. Why? If you decide to remodel your basement in the future, there will be a point in which your basement will no longer be “finished”. At that point, you will be required to have a GCFI on each circuit. Save yourself the trouble and install them to avoid falling out of code.
Also, it may seem extreme to have to get a permit to install one electrical outlet. However, the consequences could be catastrophic. Even if you do install it properly, and electrical fire somewhere else in the house could make you responsible, if only because the inspector will note that electrical work was recently done and didn’t have a permit for it.
Electrical work is very common sense. Having at least one outlet in every basement room is required. Why wouldn’t you want an outlet in every room? Just as you would have a light with a switch as you enter, an outlet with a GCFI in each basement room, at a minimum, should just be common practice.
Conclusion
Electrical work is not a good DIY project to just “figure it out as you go”. Anyone who has ever received a shock working on their wiring knows that electricity is real and will kill you if you aren’t careful. Get a professional to do the work if anything in this article makes you unsure about doing anything with your basement outlets.
If you opt to go ahead with your basement outlet job, follow all the safety precautions possible and strictly adhere to the code. Yes, you do only need a minimum of one GCFI outlet per basement circuit per unfinished basements. But it wouldn’t hurt to make all of them GCFI – it’s safer and the extra cost is negligible compared to the safety they offer you.
Finally, don’t forget to plan your basement electrical outlets carefully – the last thing you want is to have too few outlets or outlets in the wrong places.