Bathroom afci

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Gdkharma

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Framingham Massachusse
We have a bathroom with a stacked washer/dryer installed in the same room. The room is considered a bathroom by the building dept.
There are 2 seperate circuits one for the gas w/d and the other for 120 volt power to the stacked w/d.
Does either or both require afci?
They are currently on gfci and the inspector asked that we provide afci.
The home is located in Framingham Massachusetts.
 
Bathrooms are not required to have afci but it seems the inspector is calling the bathroom a laundry room which IMO, is not correct. Maybe install an afci for the washer and see if that makes him happy.
 
210.12 in both 2014 and 2017 does not say "laundry room" it says "laundry areas". I think inspector is correct. I think AFCI would be required for laundry area in a garage or unfinished basement also, though the rest of the space doesn't require AFCI.

Don't know that I like or agree with the rule but that is how I read it.
 
Gdkharma said:
Who decides what a roon is called...not an electrical inspector...
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As far as a definition for laundry area: building inspector, local rules, or who knows.

It it not defined in the NEC nor the IRC. Baths, kitchens, habitable rooms and some others are but laundry is vague.

The mere presence of a washer or dryer or ironing does not automatically mandate that room or area is a laundry area. Code requires a individual 20A circuit for the area, but where it goes exactly could be tricky when the area is not clearly agreed upon or shown on a print. Resi rarely has e sheets.

Pretty sure Dennis had either a washer or dryer in a bathroom at his house and I used have a portable washer that I would operate in the kitchen and than put away. My dryer was in a side attic upstairs.

None of the rooms were laundry areas IMO.
 
jumper said:
As far as a definition for laundry area: building inspector, local rules, or who knows.

It it not defined in the NEC nor the IRC. Baths, kitchens, habitable rooms and some others are but laundry is vague.

The mere presence of a washer or dryer or ironing does not automatically mandate that room or area is a laundry area. Code requires a individual 20A circuit for the area, but where it goes exactly could be tricky when the area is not clearly agreed upon or shown on a print. Resi rarely has e sheets.

Pretty sure Dennis had either a washer or dryer in a bathroom at his house and I used have a portable washer that I would operate in the kitchen and than put away. My dryer was in a side attic upstairs.

None of the rooms were laundry areas IMO.
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Where was outlet(s) for your required 20 amp circuit for the laundry?

I got into it with inspector somewhat recently over other receptacle outlets in the same area as "laundry" not being on "laundry circuit":eek:hmy:

He wouldn't buy into my statement that there was a 20 amp circuit with no other outlets already supplying the "laundry", which was a single duplex behind the washer, and that I had fulfilled the laundry circuit requirement. I had another 120 volt receptacle on wall behind you as you faced the washer - on a circuit with other outlets in room on back side of that wall (a bedroom). NEC does not define laundry room doesn't even define laundry area, but I wouldn't even call that room strictly a laundry room as it was also a passage from garage to the main area of the house, giving it somewhat of a mixed purpose.
 
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