Living room remodeling plans: track socket locations

The heart of your home is the living room. It’s the space where you and your loved ones come together to enjoy activities, watch television, and unwind, all without the risk of stumbling over tangled power cables. Ensuring that you have a sufficient number of outlets to support the array of electronic devices used in your family room is crucial for preventing safety risks.

Living room track socket layouts usually have two goals that must be met to make the space aesthetically pleasing and safe.

The first goal is to provide enough outlets to power all the electronic devices in the home.
The second goal is to provide enough outlets so that you can move from one location in the room to another without having to unplug anything.

Fenicra installed a power track set in the living room where the family spends a lot of time, making it safer and more convenient, and the living room a place where everyone is connected.

Next, we’ll look at the factors to consider when laying out a track socket in your living room.

1.Know electrical code rules and restrictions

Adhering to electrical codes is essential for homeowners to guarantee the security, efficiency, and durability of their electrical setups. It also verifies that the electrical system aligns with current industry benchmarks, thereby minimizing the likelihood of employing obsolete or hazardous methods. Furthermore, failing to comply with these codes can lead to severe repercussions, such as penalties, complications with insurance coverage, and challenges in the event of selling or refinancing the property.

Take the electrical standards for U.S. homes as an example:

The United States has some of the most complex voltage levels for both residential and commercial applications compared to EU and IEC countries. Basic household voltage in the US is 120V/240V, whereas most IEC countries, including the UK, EU, AUS, and NZ, use a simple 230V single phase and 400-415V three-phase voltage for domestic and small-scale commercial applications.–source:How Track Sockets Comply with US/UK Voltage Standards

Electrical and Layout Specifications for Receptacles

According to research, the number of sockets in a living room of 20 square meters or more is 20 + 4 sockets.–source:How many outlets do you need per room?

According to the National Electrical Code (NEC), 10 to 12 electrical outlets are recommended for living rooms.
However, if you don’t want to leave space for unused electrical outlets, you may want to consider reducing the number to 8 or 9, which is typical for living rooms 16 to 20 feet in length. But with power track sockets, you can reduce the number of outlets to 2-3, because a power track set comes with three movable outlets, which greatly reduces the number of unused outlets!

According to the revised 2023 National Electrical Code, outlets are required to be installed at intervals of 6 feet along the floor of any designated living area to ensure the best functionality. The placement of the living room’s track socket should be in the following locations:

Along each wall
At a higher position on the primary wall for a wall-mounted TV
On the ground level for lighting and charging stations
In close proximity to the fireplace mantel, if present, for festive decorations

2.Evaluate how much electrical power your Living Room needs

The living room is the center of the family’s activities, need more than enough power to provide to high-power equipment, but also to ensure that the living room is clean and convenient, the traditional socket is not only unable to solve the above problems, but also has a certain degree of safety hazards!

image source:craftsonfire

The picture above connects a plug for the convenience of electricity, which will not only be a safety hazard, but also destroy the beauty and neatness of the living room

What appliances are needed in the living room

Everyone hangs out in this living room, which means the living room needs a lot of equipment, including TVs, computers, projectors, and other high-powered devices, and during the holidays, the living room is additionally plugged into more devices.

Layout recommendations:

Near TV Stands

Install a track socket near your TV cabinet so you can plug in your cable box, DVD player, etc. and still use the remote control.

Adjacent to Lounge Seating

If your lounge furniture, such as sofas or loveseats, is positioned in a way that prevents the installation of a floor outlet due to its location or to avoid a trip hazard, it’s advisable to install an track socket nearby.
This approach is undoubtedly the most practical solution for ensuring that your seating arrangements have access to power, keeping the outlets conveniently located and not blocked by furniture or other items.

Do you often work in the living room

If you often work in the living room, it is recommended to install a track socket in the office area, which not only helps you save more space, but also makes charging easier and safer!

3.Planning from the ground up

The track socket layout plan that best meets each person’s needs is based on the actual situation of each person’s living room, including the size of the living room space, the layout of the furniture, the number of people, the frequency of use of electrical appliances, and the individual’s habits.

Here are some additional suggestions:

Functional area division: According to the different functional areas of the living room, such as lounge area, entertainment area, work area, etc., the location of track sockets can be reasonably planned. For example, in the lounge area, you may not need to use electrical appliances frequently, so you can reduce the number of movable outlets; while in the entertainment area or work area, you may need more power connections.
Type and power of electrical appliances: Consider the type and power of electrical appliances, such as TV, stereo, computers and other high-power electrical appliances should be prioritized near the installation of track sockets to reduce the drag and drop of the power line, while ensuring the safety of the circuit
Aesthetics: The installation of the track socket should be as consistent as possible with the interior decorating style to avoid affecting the overall aesthetics. You can consider hidden installation or choose products with similar color to the wall.

Wowsocket offers customized services for power track and electrical outlets, if you are interested, please click here for details and contact us!