AFCI in Bed and Breakfast

[racerdave3]

OK, here's a good topic for discussion. I am doing a job on a house that is presently a single family dwelling but is being remodeled for the use of a bed and breakfast. The building is going to have 3 rooms that will be used for B&B customers and 1 bedroom that will be used for the owners as their own personal bedroom. What are your thoughts on the use of AFCI breakers for the bedrooms? I was planning on installing one for the owner's bedroom per 210.12, but would the other 3 rooms fall under residential bedrooms or would/could they be classified as hotel/motel guest rooms as in 210.60 and not be required to have AFCI protection? I may just opt to make all the rooms AFCI protected. Thoughts?

 

[bphgravity]

It does not appear based on your description that any of the individual rooms would qualify as a "guest room" or "guest suite" as defined by the NEC. They are simply bedrooms in a dwelling so 210.12 rules apply.

 

[racerdave3]

OK, but I guess my question is, what is the actual definition of a guest room? The NEC does not give one. Even though these rooms are bedrooms, they are solely for the purpose of paying "guests" to stay in them as customers of the bed and breakfast, so what is to diferentiate a "bedroom" from a Guest room"? I think this is indeed a very grey area...

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

OK, but I guess my question is, what is the actual definition of a guest room? The NEC does not give one. Even though these rooms are bedrooms, they are solely for the purpose of paying "guests" to stay in them as customers of the bed and breakfast, so what is to diferentiate a "bedroom" from a Guest room"? I think this is indeed a very grey area...

Nothing gray about this.Its still a home and same hazards apply.What would happen if it ever closes as a b/b and returns to normal home? I see this as nothing more than overnight guests in a private home.Them paying changes nothing.

 

[Bea]

Reply to question about a guest room. Guest room is a unit in a hotel motel for sleeping if the is permanent provisions for cooking then it is considered a dwelling and must have those required circuits. 210.18

 

[racerdave3]

Jim brings up a good point, about the possibility of the B/B one day closing and the buiding reverting back to a single family dwelling either by the present owners or future owners. The whole thing is not really a big deal, just a matter of a couple more AFCI breakers, I just wanted some thoughts on the scenerio here.

 

[iwire]

Jim brings up a good point, about the possibility of the B/B one day closing and the buiding reverting back to a single family dwelling either by the present owners or future owners.

My advice would be to apply the sections that apply for the here and now, not try to guess what may happen in the future.

 

[racerdave3]

Bob, I agree about not guessing on the future, but in my opinion, the cost of installing the AFCI breakers are not all that much more and if it saves me the hassles from debating this with the AHJ, then the peace of mind is priceless. It's not like it is a bad thing installing them, I just thought it brought up an interesting scenerio. I do question though why the code finds it necessary to make us install AFCI protection in the bedrooms of home, but not in motel/hotels.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Bob, I agree about not guessing on the future, but in my opinion, the cost of installing the AFCI breakers are not all that much more and if it saves me the hassles from debating this with the AHJ, then the peace of mind is priceless. It's not like it is a bad thing installing them, I just thought it brought up an interesting scenerio. I do question though why the code finds it necessary to make us install AFCI protection in the bedrooms of home, but not in motel/hotels.

I guess people in hotels/motels are not worth saving.Lots of stupid things in nec that protect only some

 

[mdshunk]

Is this dwelling somehow no longer a dwelling because they put a sign out front that says "B&B" and they rent a room here and there? It's still a dwelling, and AFCI's are required.

Now, some motels have a manager's apartment. The building officials call the section that the manager lives in the "dwelling" and is wired like a house. Beyond a fire seperation is the motel section, where AFCI's aren't required. Two distinct use sections under one roof. I don't see two distinct sections in the B&B example.