Home Workshop Considerations

In addition to the electricity consumed by the lighting in your workshop, you will also have a number of high powered tools in use to consider as well.

From table saws to sanders, there will be a demand on your electrical system to power said tools, and sometimes more than one power tool at a time. When setting up your workshop, we would suggest adding dedicated circuits on their own breaker, separate from the rest of the home. This will prevent your appliances and electronics inside the house from tripping breakers while you’re in your shop, creating with your power tools!

Another great option is to install Whole Home Surge Protection on the breaker that is being used for your workshop, as well as inside your home’s main panel. The NEC (The National Electrical Code) has made major changes for 2020 and beginning in January 2020, Surge Protection is required for all dwelling units to be protected by Type 1 or Type 2 Surge Protective Devices. After all, the last thing you want is to have all your expensive equipment or appliances damaged by an electrical surge, which is a real issue with so many electrical components in most of our appliances of today.

You should also make certain that GCFI receptacles are installed in your workshop, and remember, GFCI receptacles should be installed correctly for them to work properly. When they are installed correctly, GFCI outlets will shut off any power to the receptacle immediately to prevent the risk of electrical shock. These are also part of the NEC's changes for 2020!

Setting up your workshop is exciting, but if it’s not done properly, it can also be quite dangerous. We would recommend that if you are implementing a workshop in your home, that you have an experienced electrician review the electrical setup and bring everything up to code for maximum safety.