Central laundy - multifamily dwelling

[malachi constant]

Doing an audit for a multi-family apartment. (80 units, mostly elderly, though it is not assisted living/nursing home anything like that.) The individual apartments do not have laundry within them. There is a central laundry room on the ground floor with three coin-operated washers & dryers.
I noticed the washers are not GFI protected. They are within 6' of the sink and I will be recommending their maintenance staff get those swapped out.
I also noticed they do not have any general convenience receptacles in this room. There is a folding area but no receptacle for ironing. I initially brought this up as a code issue but since realized the "laundry receptacle" requirement is only for within units. Am I correct that there is no code requirement for a "general" or "laundry" receptacle in this room? They are understandably not interested in putting it in if it is not required.

This is nowhere near the biggest item on the list, but now that I've opened my mouth about it I feel obligated to chase down the correct answer. Thanks!

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

The NEC only requires one receptacle on a dedicated circuit in the laundry area but I think it is a poor design choice especially in your situation. I would assume that the three washers are on individual circuits. The GFI's are required in your scenario also.

 

[texie]

The NEC only requires one receptacle on a dedicated circuit in the laundry area but I think it is a poor design choice especially in your situation. I would assume that the three washers are on individual circuits. The GFI's are required in your scenario also.

While I agree that it is a poor design choice, the NEC does not even require a laundry circuit here as this is not within a dwelling unit.

 

[malachi constant]

Thanks texie, that's my opinion as well. I will continue to suggest the ironing receptacles, but will not state they are a code requirement.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

While I agree that it is a poor design choice, the NEC does not even require a laundry circuit here as this is not within a dwelling unit.

I agree regarding the living area of the multifamily dwelling but in the laundry area that is provided in this case, 210.52 (F) would still apply IMO requiring a laundry circuit. Exception 1 deals with a laundry circuit in the actual living space and not a central laundry room.

 

[texie]

I agree regarding the living area of the multifamily dwelling but in the laundry area that is provided in this case, 210.52 (F) would still apply IMO requiring a laundry circuit. Exception 1 deals with a laundry circuit in the actual living space and not a central laundry room.

All of 210.52 applies only to the dwelling units in the building, not a central laundry room or any other area of the building not within the dwelling unit. We aggree?

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

All of 210.52 applies only to the dwelling units in the building, not a central laundry room or any other area of the building not within the dwelling unit. We aggree?

So in your opinion, a central laundry room wouldn't require a laundry circuit:?

 

[texie]

So in your opinion, a central laundry room wouldn't require a laundry circuit:?

Not a laundry circuit as described in 210.52. It does however need properly sized branch circuit(s) to supply any equipment that may be installed.

 

[malachi constant]

All of 210.52 applies only to the dwelling units in the building, not a central laundry room or any other area of the building not within the dwelling unit. We aggree?

I agree with that. 210.52 is titled "dwelling unit receptacle outlets". Dwelling unit is defined in Article 100 as "a single unit...". As soon as you exit the apartment and enter the corridor 210.52 is no longer in effect. I thought there might be commercial laundry requirements or something similar in the code that may apply, but not finding it.

Anyway, it is good practice, I always do it in new construction, and if I were in charge of remodeling this place I would add it. However the client is not engaged in a remodel yet, they are only trying to figure out priorities, and as long as they are in charge of the priority list they just don't see a use for an ironing receptacle. Their logic is "no one ever irons there, so no need to add an outlet", which is circular, since how COULD someone iron there if there is not an outlet? Not something I'm going to pick a fight over. They've gone 30 years without one, and evidently 30 years without a complaint. They'll be fine.

 

[kwired]

I agree with that. 210.52 is titled "dwelling unit receptacle outlets". Dwelling unit is defined in Article 100 as "a single unit...". As soon as you exit the apartment and enter the corridor 210.52 is no longer in effect. I thought there might be commercial laundry requirements or something similar in the code that may apply, but not finding it.

Anyway, it is good practice, I always do it in new construction, and if I were in charge of remodeling this place I would add it. However the client is not engaged in a remodel yet, they are only trying to figure out priorities, and as long as they are in charge of the priority list they just don't see a use for an ironing receptacle. Their logic is "no one ever irons there, so no need to add an outlet", which is circular, since how COULD someone iron there if there is not an outlet? Not something I'm going to pick a fight over. They've gone 30 years without one, and evidently 30 years without a complaint. They'll be fine.

You are correct. Once you leave the apartment you are no longer in a dwelling unit. This laundry facility is not in a dwelling unit and nothing in 210.52 applies to it at all. No receptacles are required in this area at all, but is hard to use the washers without receptacles so we install them as needed, not because code mandates them. As far as having other receptacles in the area - not a code requirement and totally a design choice.

The receptacles for the washers would require GFCI protection in current codes - when the facility was built they may not have been required.