Outlets in laundry room

[jlaa1197]

In 2012 I bought a newly constructed house in Buford GA. The Laundry room had one dedicated outlet for the washing machine. Last month I had a code certified inspector check the house. According to the inspector per NEC code210-52(f). A outlet should be installed and the dedicated outlet does not qualify. I contacted the electrician who informed the inspector was wrong. Can you please help me with this?

 

[augie47]

I would agree with the electrician:
(F) Laundry Areas. In dwelling units, at least one receptacle outlet shall be installed for the laundry.

(Do to the nature of this question and the fact that the OP is not asking advice, I approved the post)

 

[George Stolz]

Barring local amendment, the electrician is correct. It's common practice.

 

[infinity]

Barring local amendment, the electrician is correct. It's common practice.

I agree too, the code certified inspector would need to clarify what he was thinking. Usually a duplex receptacle on a 20 amp circuit is all that you get.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I agree with the others. A laundry room can be very large and the only receptacle required would be the one for the washing machine. Of course we generally would add a few others if the room was large.

 

[jlaa1197]

Thanks guys for your help. Not that it matters but it is a single receptacle outlet not a duplex. Again thanks for your help and knowledge.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Thanks guys for your help. Not that it matters but it is a single receptacle outlet not a duplex. Again thanks for your help and knowledge.

I don't know why the ec did that.

 

[Ponchik]

I don't know why the ec did that.

Some electricians and inspectors assume if the circuit is dedicated then it MUST have a single receptacle.

 

[GoldDigger]

Some electricians and inspectors assume if the circuit is dedicated then it MUST have a single receptacle.

But that would nevertheless count as a receptacle outlet. The code section quoted does not specify that a duplex receptacle or a non-dedicated receptacle would have to be provided.
On the other hand, if the furnace were also in the laundry room, I can see that a dedicated outlet for the furnace would not satisfy the code requirement in spirit.

 

[John120/240]

Thanks guys for your help. Not that it matters but it is a single receptacle outlet not a duplex. Again thanks for your help and knowledge.

I don't know why the ec did that.

The use of a single receptacle might go back to freezers & sump pumps. In the not to distant past it was common practice here to install a single receptacle in lieu of a GFCI. Example a sump pump or freezer installed in a location that would require GFCI protection. A single receptacle in these situations was an accepted practice at one time.

 

[Gregg Harris]

The use of a single receptacle might go back to freezers & sump pumps. In the not to distant past it was common practice here to install a single receptacle in lieu of a GFCI. Example a sump pump or freezer installed in a location that would require GFCI protection. A single receptacle in these situations was an accepted practice at one time.

The laundry circuit is required to be an Individual Branch circuit

Branch Circuit, Individual. A branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment

(2) Laundry Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least one additional 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to supply the laundry receptacle outlet(s) required by 210.52(F). This circuit shall have no other outlets.

 

[Gregg Harris]

In 2012 I bought a newly constructed house in Buford GA. The Laundry room had one dedicated outlet for the washing machine. Last month I had a code certified inspector check the house. According to the inspector per NEC code210-52(f). A outlet should be installed and the dedicated outlet does not qualify. I contacted the electrician who informed the inspector was wrong. Can you please help me with this?

Is the laundry in the basement or garage?



(G) Basements, Garages, and Accessory Buildings. For a one-family dwelling, the following provisions shall apply:
(1)

At least one receptacle outlet, in addition to those for specific equipment, shall be installed in each basement, in each attached garage, and in each detached garage or accessory building with electric power

 

[mjf]

The laundry circuit is required to be an Individual Branch circuit

Branch Circuit, Individual. A branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment

(2) Laundry Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least one additional 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to supply the laundry receptacle outlet(s) required by 210.52(F). This circuit shall have no other outlets.

Is a duplex receptacle considered 2 utilization equipment(s)?

 

[Volta]

Is a duplex receptacle considered 2 utilization equipment(s)?

No, it is not considered utilization equipment itself, at all. It certainly may provide power to dual utilization equipment though, say a washing machine and an iron.

 

[Volta]

If the laundry room is not similar to the rooms listed in 210.52(A), the usual "6 and 12 foot" spacing does not apply.

General Provisions. In every kitchen, family room, dining room, living room, parlor, library, den, sunroom, bedroom, recreation room, or similar room or area of dwelling units, receptacle outlets shall be installed in accordance with the general provisions specified in 210.52(A)(1) through (A)(3).
....

 

[Gregg Harris]

Is a duplex receptacle considered 2 utilization equipment(s)?

With a duplex receptacle you have the capability to plug in two individual pieces of equipment.

 

[George Stolz]

With a duplex receptacle you have the capability to plug in two individual pieces of equipment.

The circuit must serve only laundry areas - an area is not a piece of utilization equipment, and the laundry circuit is not an individual branch circuit.

 

[Little Bill]

In 2012 I bought a newly constructed house in Buford GA. The Laundry room had one dedicated outlet for the washing machine. Last month I had a code certified inspector check the house. According to the inspector per NEC code210-52(f). A outlet should be installed and the dedicated outlet does not qualify. I contacted the electrician who informed the inspector was wrong. Can you please help me with this?

If the room had the dedicated outlet already, what was the inspectors problem with that. It met every bit of the code requirement.

If it didn't, it would (should) have never passed inspection from the AHJ's inspector.

Side note to the OP: Why did you have an inspection done a year after you bought it? That is usually done before buying. I'm assuming you had a home inspector who just happened to be "code certified", whatever that means.

 

[mjf]

In 2012 I bought a newly constructed house in Buford GA. The Laundry room had one dedicated outlet for the washing machine. Last month I had a code certified inspector check the house. According to the inspector per NEC code210-52(f). A outlet should be installed and the dedicated outlet does not qualify. I contacted the electrician who informed the inspector was wrong. Can you please help me with this?

Kudos to the honest electrician that didn't have you do unnecessary work just to make a buck.

Keep his business card handy for future endeavors.

 

[102 Inspector]

If this is a single receptacle, make sure the receptacle is rated for the overcurrent device that protects it. Since it is a laundry circuit, the receptacle would have to be rated for the 20 amp breaker it is serve by. Otherwise, legal installation.