May 17, 2002, Newsletter Issue #18: Add an outlet

Tip of the Week

To add an outlet, first determine the amperage of the appliance you want to plug in. If it is just for a lamp or some other small amperage device, you can pull from the closest or most convenient existing outlet.
Check the other side of the wall. If there is an existing outlet opposite from where you want the new one, the job will be a snap. Using a cut-in box (the clerk at the DIY store will know what it is), trace the outline of the box on the wall where the new outlet will go. With a sheetrock saw, cut out the hole. Be careful not to cut any existing wiring. Remove the plate and outlet after shutting off the power. Feed a length of Romex from the old outlet to the new hole. Push the wire into the cut-in box and install it into the hole. Wire both outlets, install both plates, and you are done.
If the old outlet is some distance from the new one, the job is a little more difficult but still doable. Carefully remove the base trim from the wall. Cut the hole for the cut-in box as above. Just below the level where the base was, poke a hole through the sheetrock directly beneath the new outlet. Then, with a utility knife, cut a trough in the sheetrock so that it will be covered when you replace the base to a point directly beneath the existing outlet. Again poke a hole through the sheetrock. Feed a length of Romex through the bottom of the existing box, through the hole, along the trough, and up into the new hole. Be sure to shut off the power first. Install both outlets as above, replace the base trim, and send yourself a bill for the $100 you just saved.

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