Home Office Electrics: Sockets, Data and Power for Working From Home

Working from home is now normal for many Londoners, often from a spare bedroom, a corner of the living room or a garden office. Most homes were never wired for a desk full of screens, chargers, routers and a heater, so extension leads and adaptors pile up. This guide covers how to power a home office safely and reliably.

Enough sockets in the right place

A typical desk needs at least four to six outlets: laptop, monitors, phone charger, lamp, printer and router. Rather than an extension lead under the desk, adding a double or triple socket at desk height is neater and safer. Sockets with built-in USB charging can free up space. Our guide to adding sockets in a London home explains the options.

Reliable internet

Wi-Fi often struggles in older London houses with thick walls. A wired data point from the router to the office, or a mesh system with a wired backhaul, can make video calls much more reliable. An electrician can run a data cable at the same time as new sockets, which saves disturbing the walls twice.

Heating and lighting

Small rooms used as offices can get cold, and portable heaters plugged into extension leads are a common fire risk. A wall-mounted electric heater on its own circuit, or better use of the central heating, is safer. Good lighting matters too: a ceiling light plus a desk lamp reduces eye strain on long days.

Garden offices

Garden offices need their own supply from the house, usually through a buried armoured cable, with RCD protection and a small consumer unit in the building. Running a garden office from an extension lead is not safe. Our guide to garden and outdoor sockets covers supplies to outbuildings, and our guide to outdoor and security lighting covers the path to the door.

Protecting your equipment

A surge protection device at the consumer unit helps protect computers, routers and monitors from voltage spikes. Our guide to surge protection devices explains when one is worth fitting.

Book an electrician

Energy North Ltd covers North, East and West London with City & Guilds certified electricians, and can usually attend within 48 hours. See our EICR service to have your circuits checked before adding more.