Do I Need Dedicated Circuits for My Appliances?
From time to time, The Hawkins Wire blog features quick answers to questions our technicians and staff often hear while on the job.
Today’s question: Do I need dedicated circuits for my larger appliances?
wires and sparksAnswer: Most homes already have dedicated circuits for heavy-duty appliances such as refrigerators, ovens and window air conditioning units. But if you are building a new house or an addition and you are wondering if it is necessary, the answer is “yes.”
Dedicated circuits ensure you don’t overload the smaller circuits. A kitchen is especially at risk for an overload, because all of your smaller appliances are likely to be on the same circuit. If you have a microwave, toaster oven, dishwasher, garbage disposal and hood range fan on the same circuit, it could easily be overloaded and cause your breakers to trip.
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