Hard-Wired Appliance Getting Replaced? You’ll Need an Electrician
KB Electric LLC gets a lot of phone calls from customers that are in need of hooking up their new appliances. Usually it goes like this: “The company that dropped off our new dishwasher told us that they can’t take the old one out and put the new one in because the old dishwasher doesn’t have an outlet and plug. They told me to call an electrician.” What the appliance company means is that you have an existing hard-wired appliance. This type of phone call happens on a frequent basis. Let’s explain what the term “hard-wired” means, and why your appliance store won’t touch it without a licensed electrician.
Dedicated Outlet/Line Install for New Dryer – Hard-wired Appliance Removal
What Does A Hard-Wired Appliance Mean?
A hard-wired appliance is an appliance that is connected directly to your main electric panel without a receptacle (outlet) and plug.
What Types of Appliances Could Be Hard-Wired In My Home?
- Electric Range Hood
- Electric Stove Range
- Garbage Disposal
- Dishwasher
- Dryer
…and others.
Why Would I Have A Hard-Wired Appliance In My Home?
Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth (just kidding), it was allowed by code to install the appliances above with a hard-wired connection. Today, the NEC says that all appliances above need to be installed with a source of disconnect at the location of the appliance, like a plug.
Replacing Your Hard-Wired Appliance With a New Plug-in Appliance
So you picked out a new dishwasher from the appliance store. The company said it would take about 1-2 weeks for shipment and delivery. Once the company arrives at your front door, they inspect the old dishwasher for removal and notice it is hard-wired. The company will tell you that since there is no dedicated line and outlet for the new one to go in, they can’t hook it up and take the old one out. This reason is simple: the appliance technicians are not licensed electricians and can’t install outlets and dedicated lines. At this point, you will call a licensed electrician.
A licensed electrician like one from KB Electric LLC will come to your house and install a dedicated line and a dedicated outlet from your main electric panel to your new dishwasher. The licensed electrician will then plug the new appliance in, and test it to make sure it is working properly.
