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One of the most frustrating things that can happen when you’re running an extension cord under a door is having it come unplugged. It leaves you with no power and forces you to spend time re-running the cord all over again.
There’s a solution, though! Follow these 6 quick steps and learn how to run an extension cord under a door, so it stays plugged in.
How to Run an Extension Cord Under a Door
Running a cord under a door is one of the easiest ways to make an extension cord adaptable. It’s also very easy to do!
Here are some quick and easy steps on how you can run your extension cord for convenience and safety:
Step 1: Place the Cord
The first thing you want to do is find where your cord needs to go. If it’s likely that people will trip over the cords, place them along baseboards, so they are less visible. You can even paint them with floor enamel for a seamless appearance. Once you’ve decided on an area or surface, simply lay one end of the cord over to that location.
Step 2: Anchor It
The next step is simple but very important. You need to anchor your extension cord, or else it will be a hazard for anyone who trips on it! If you’re placing cords under the carpet, use tape to keep them in place, but make sure they are low enough, so no one tripping over will injure themselves by catching their feet underneath the tape.
Also, ensure there’s not too much tension because this could damage your wires and insulation. Use plastic zip ties instead of duct tape for harder surfaces like wood floors to tie up any loose ends. This way, even if someone does trip, nothing bad should happen as long as they don’t pull too hard.
Step 3: Make a Hole
Now that your cord is placed and anchored, it’s time to create an opening in the doorway so you can pass through with ease. If there’s just one door, obviously this won’t be necessary, but for two or more doors where someone may need to get through quickly but also have access to cords, making a hole will work perfectly!
A simple box cutter should do the job of piercing right through any material, whether it be wood doors, drywall partitions between rooms, or even steel security doors.
You’ll want to cut at least 12 inches up from floor level because otherwise, people could easily trip over the exposed threshold before getting into another room. The size doesn’t have to be too precise because no one will notice if it’s a little bit larger or smaller.
Step 4: Create an Opening
Now that you have your hole, simply take any tool like pliers and unscrew the cap of the extension cord. You can then pull out just enough wire so that both ends are sticking through the doorway.
A coat hanger also works perfectly for this purpose! After you’ve done this step, push each end of your cords into their respective rooms, and voila! The hard part is over.
Now anyone who needs access between two points in a house can pass right through without struggling to navigate around wires or trip hazards on accident.
That being said, always do what you can to keep things looking nice by tucking cords back into walls or carpets. You can also use wire covers for more of a permanent solution.
Step 5: Connect the Ends
Now that your extension cord is in place, it’s time to connect the two ends together! Insert one end into an outlet and then ensure you have enough length on each side, so they’re not hanging too low.
The last thing you want is someone stepping over them without realizing what could happen if either end gets pulled with force, so make sure there are at least five feet between outlets above floor level, but less than ten feet ideally.
Also, try to ensure there isn’t any furniture blocking pathways because this would only give people another reason to trip later the line when things get moved around.
Step 6: Power Up!
Now that you have your extension cord plugged in, the only thing left to do is flip on a switch, so it’s ready for use.
You can either leave this step until last or complete it along with steps four and five if you’d like. It doesn’t really matter because as long as one end of the wire has power, people will pass through both rooms without any problem.
Again, make sure there are outlets above floor level where necessary, and always double-check before stepping over cords yourself! Extension cords aren’t meant to replace permanent wiring setups.
They’re simply short-term solutions for temporary situations where wires need to go from point A (wherever they currently are) to point B (a second room where the power is needed). They can also be super helpful to make sure everyone has access to electricity when other outlets are only in certain locations. Extension cords help every home bring power to every corner of the house so it is best to also know some safety tips when you have your own extension cords.
There are six steps to creating a safe and effective extension cord under the door solution. While it may seem like this task is complicated, if you simply follow the guide above, anyone should be able to do so in just a few minutes! Remember to care about where you place cords and always make sure they can be seen easily.
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