Why not having enough electrical sockets is one of the most frequent mistakes made during a renovation, and one of the easiest to avoid
If you've ever finished a renovation only to find your living room filled with power strips and cables on the floor two days later, you know exactly what we're talking about. A lack of electrical outlets is one of the most common problems in renovated homes, and also one of the most preventable if you think it through carefully before starting the work.
At We Light Up Your Life, we see it all the time: clients who don't pay much attention to electrical outlets during renovations, only to realise once the furniture is in place and they've settled in, that they're lacking sockets in the most needed spots. In this article, we'll give you the criteria to avoid making that mistake.
The real problem: it's not that there aren't enough sockets, it's that they're in the wrong place
Often the problem isn't just that there aren't enough sockets, but that the ones available aren't where you need them. A socket behind the sofa isn't much use if you need it next to your bedside table. One in the middle of the kitchen wall won't help you if the worktop is on the opposite side.
Therefore, before deciding how many sockets to install, it's most useful to think about where the furniture will go, where you use your mobile phone, laptop, lamp, and charger. This simple exercise will give you more information than any generic number.
How many power sockets are usually needed in each area?
In a living room, it's most common to make do with three or four sockets. If you have a television, player, console, floor lamp, and chargers, you'll need considerably more than it might seem. The ideal is to plan for at least one for each main piece of furniture and a few extras in high-traffic areas.
In the bedroom, the minimum requirement is to have a socket on each side of the bed for mobile phone chargers and lamps. If you also use the bedroom as a workspace, you'll need a socket near the desk. Three or four well-placed sockets are usually sufficient in a standard bedroom.
In the kitchen is where it's most underestimated. The coffee machine, toaster, microwave, blender, food processor... they all need a plug and you rarely use them at the same time, but you do need to have sockets readily available. Four or five sockets in the worktop area is starting to seem reasonable for a normal kitchen.
In the bathroom, it's usual to have one or two sockets near the mirror for the hairdryer or electric shaver. That's usually enough.
And the power strips? Do they not serve to solve this?
Extension leads work well for connecting multiple low-power appliances at the same point. The problem arises when they are used to connect high-power appliances such as heaters, countertop ovens, or hairdryers. This can overload the socket and, in the worst case, cause an electrical problem.
Furthermore, having the floor covered in cables and power strips isn't the most convenient or safest solution, especially if there are children at home. If you've been living with that for years, it might be worth considering whether adding an extra socket during a small refurbishment would be more practical in the long run.
The best time to think about sockets is before the work starts.
Adding a socket during a renovation costs very little because the walls are already open. Doing it afterwards involves chasing channels, plastering, painting… a much bigger and more expensive job. That's why at Iluminamos tu Vida we always recommend thinking carefully about the electrical layout before starting any renovation, however small.
If you have any doubts about how many sockets or light points you need in your home, we can arrange a visit and help you plan it without any obligation. Sometimes a small intervention can make your home much more comfortable and well-equipped for everyday life.
2. Earthing: what it is, why it matters and how to know if your house has it
It is an element that almost no one sees but that can protect you from an electric shock if something fails
Earthing is one of those electrical concepts that most people have heard of at some point but few know exactly what it does or why it is so important. If your home is a certain age and has never undergone electrical renovation, it may not have it or it may not be working properly. And that has real consequences for your safety.
At Iluminamos tu Vida, we see this all the time in many of the checks we carry out in Madrid: installations that appear to be working fine but have no earth connection or a faulty one. In this article, we'll explain what it is, what it's for, and how you can tell if your home has one.
Earthing is a safety measure that protects you from electric shock. It connects electrical appliances to the ground. If there's a fault in an appliance and an electrical surge occurs, the current travels safely to the earth instead of through you. This prevents serious injury or electrocution.
Imagine the washing machine has a small internal fault and some of the electrical current is reaching the metal casing of the appliance. If you touch it, that current can pass through your body. The earth wire creates an alternative path for that current to go to the ground, so that when the residual current device (RCD) detects it, it cuts off the power before anything happens.
Without an earth connection, that protection system will not function correctly. The residual current device may not trip, and current could flow where it shouldn't. That's why it's such an important safety feature.
How to know if your house has an earth connection
The quickest way to check is to look at the sockets. If they have three holes (two round and one below, or with a metal blade at the sides) they probably have an earth connection. If all your sockets only have two round holes, you might not have one.
But be aware: just because a socket has three holes doesn't guarantee that the earth connection is properly wired and working correctly. The only way to know for sure is to have an electrician test it and verify that it's within the correct values.
What happens if I don't have an earth connection?
In older homes, especially flats from the 1970s or 80s that haven't been renovated, it's quite common not to have an earth connection. Everything might work normally for years, but that doesn't mean there's no risk.
If a household appliance has an earth leakage, if there is dampness in the wiring, or if the residual current device is not in perfect condition, the absence of an earth connection can turn a situation that should be harmless into a scare or something worse. Furthermore, home insurance companies may cause issues in the event of an electrical incident if the installation does not meet basic safety requirements.
Is it difficult or expensive to install?
In most cases, no. Installing or checking the earthing is a relatively straightforward job for an electrician. It doesn't require opening up walls or undertaking major works. If you simply need to check that yours is working correctly, it's a quick inspection that can give you great peace of mind.
At Iluminamos tu Vida, we include this as part of our general installation checks and also as a standalone service if that's what you need. If you have any doubts about whether your home in Madrid has an operational earth connection, contact us and we'll check it.