Patio rooms need electricity, too

Adding more livable square feet to your home is one way to increase its value. Many homeowners head downstairs to turn an unfinished basement into a man (or mom) cave, play room or extra bedroom. A new trend, however, has renovations taking place outside with the addition of enclosed patios or sunrooms.

You’ll want to enjoy your room four seasons, so it will need heating and cooling. A ceiling fan is a likely must, but you’ll have to decide if you’re adding new duct work to use your current system. If so, you’ll need to know if it can handle the additional work. This is a question for a pro. An electrician can help you determine your best use of space of heaters or alternate cooling methods.

Any space considered a living space must have outlets.  You’ll need to know if your current electrical service can handle the extra drain, and how to upgrade it if the answer is no. Also, you may need to run electricity from the inside to the outside of your house if the area you’re enclosing previously was not wired – a project that may require the knowledge and skill of an electrician.