An outdoor kitchen brings your backyard to the next level. A lot needs to go into it, though–preparation and design, building and installation, and finally enjoyment! Our lovely South Florida weather allows us to use our outdoor kitchens practically year-round. Before you get ahead with purchasing appliances or choosing materials for your outdoor kitchen, make sure you have considered its electrical needs and are prepared for them.
Outlets and Appliances
The odds are that you do not have many outlets outside your house right now. Before putting in an outdoor kitchen, you need to improve its electrical capacity. Consider how big and multi-functional you want your outdoor kitchen to be. Will it mainly consist of a grill and vent hood, or do you plan to have additional appliances like a refrigerator, wine cooler, or oven? What about small portable appliances like blenders or food processors? Even if you opt for a gas or propane stove, plenty of other parts will still need electricity.
Talk at length with your electrician to ensure that you have the appropriate amount of outlets to meet your needs. It will help to have a definite plan for where all of the components will go once the project is finished—this will be helpful when your electrician is planning the locations of all new outlets. The circuit that your outdoor kitchen is on should be equipped with a GFCI to prevent electrocution or shorting from water intrusion. This way, if that does happen, you will be able to reset it from your circuit panel instead of moving your appliances to reach the outlets. Additionally, as opposed to the standard 110V outlets found inside a home, these outdoor outlets will need to be 220V to provide enough power for the appliances you’ll be using with your outdoor kitchen.
Lighting for Outdoor Kitchens
You can’t forget about lighting when it comes to your outdoor entertainment spaces! After all, you need to see the food you are preparing, and you don’t want to be limited by the sunset for when you can cook. Discuss a design plan with your electrician to ensure that all the food prep and cooking areas are well-lit with overhead lights. Add some accent lighting around the rest of the area as well, whether it is a deck, a patio, or just a dining set placed on your lawn. Highlight not only cooking areas but also anywhere that could be dangerous, like steps or the edges of the deck.
Ceiling Fans for Outdoors
Our weather is already hot, and when you add in the heat of a grill or stove, your beautiful kitchen can become unbearable. To combat the heat, it’s a great idea to have a ceiling fan or two installed on your covered porch or patio. Be sure to bring this up with a residential electrician early in the planning stage so that they can plan to run wires through the ceiling.
Outdoor kitchens are an essential part of many South Floridian’s lives. If you are looking to upgrade your outdoor space for entertainment or relaxation purposes, don’t forget to address the electrical issues. Not only will your space be more aesthetically pleasing, but you will also be able to enjoy the outdoors more completely.
Promise Electric are master electricians supporting residential and commercial electrical projects across the Sarasota area.
