Go figure.....

Status
Not open for further replies.
peter d

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
Here's a new one....well, not exactly, nothing's new under the sun...anyway...

There is a laundry room located adjacent to a half bath. In fact, to acess the laundry you must go throught the half bath. The laundry room has a door that separates the two rooms. Very typical situation found all over the country and probably the world for that matter. Well, inspector claims that the laundry is part of the bathroom and says that the laundry outlets must be GFCI.

Huh?????
 
Take out the door and maybe he's got a point. Two separate rooms? Did he cite a particular Article?
 
Seems like he's incorrect. So now what? Will you fight him on this or just comply?
 
Sad to say but this is in an area where fighting is not an option. I won't go into details but fighting would be as useful as driving into a brick wall at 100 MPH. The GFCI's are in. At least they'll protect from the water hazard presented by the washing machine. :rolleyes:
 
if the approved plans designate that room as a laundry room, then thats just what it is a laundry room
 
mpd said:
if the approved plans designate that room as a laundry room, then thats just what it is a laundry room
Click to expand...

I will bet that there are no plans.

Very few small jobs in this area go through plan approval.
 
mpd said:
if the approved plans designate that room as a laundry room, then thats just what it is a laundry room
Click to expand...

I agree that the door between the 2 rooms makes all the difference.

How about a little detour ?

What if the approved plans designated a second floor room with a closet as something other than a bedroom ?
Would you still be required to have AFCIs and smokes ?

Let me be more specific:
Three rooms on a second floor clustered around a central hallway. Each one has a closet but only three are designated on the plans as bedrooms so as to decrease the septic system size required. These plans make it past the health department plan review for the septic system and are approved by them.

I have seen this scenerio a number of times.

David
 
Last edited:
DNEM, In my area (Colorado) no way would an inspector sign off on a room with a closet like you describe without AFI. If it is obviously designed as sleeping quarters, AFI will be enforced. I've even had to AFI a "Family room" because the owner's had a murphy bed installed in the wall for use when guests need a place to sleep.
 
Since the "laundry room" can only be accessed via the bathroom, the inspector has a point that it could be considered part of the bathroom. Unfortunately, the code is not terribly clear on this point, so it's basically the inspector's call as to whether it's part of the bathroom. Personally, I'd consider it a part of the bathroom unless there is a separate entrance.

As for the AFCI rules others have mentioned, the AHJs around here consider a bedroom to be any room whose basic design is such that it could be used as a bedroom. That prevents people from claiming "no bed = no bedroom."
 
jeff43222 said:
Since the "laundry room" can only be accessed via the bathroom, the inspector has a point that it could be considered part of the bathroom.
Click to expand...

I don't see how.

A bathroom is often located off of the master bedroom.

Does this mean the bathroom is part of the bedroom and needs AFCIs or is the bedroom part of the bathroom and need GFCIs.

IMO as long as there is a door separating the two spaces it is a black and white issue.

Door = separate rooms.
 
IMO as long as there is a door separating the two spaces it is a black and white issue.

Door = separate rooms.__________________
Bob
Electrical Construction & Maintenance

Moderator
Click to expand...


I agree. This is a no brainer.
 
I heard tell of an inspector that asked for AFCI for a bathroom connected to a bedroom . He used the same line of reasoning. The person who told me this story is an assistant wiring inspector , I then said "hey Joe do you $#!% in the same spce you sleep ? " he said "no" I then said , "do you sleep in the same space you $#!%"? He said " only after a long night of driking " I said "just making sure we're on the same page". Point is you could have spaces for different activities and no walls at all between them let alone doors.

My sister rented a place once , one big room ,with a bathroom ,which did have a door, but the bed was right there ,just off the kitchen space, which was right next to the living space.
How on earth would your inspector deal with this case "it's all a kitchen,..no it's all a bedroom oh hell I'll just say it's a bathroom."
 
Bathroom. An area including a basin with one or more of the following: a toilet, a tub, or a shower.

? Master BR: leave BR enter hallway (no door entering hall) to the right is a closet, to the left a vanity sink. At end of hall is door leading to tub w/shower and a toilet.

Now this states area in the definition, not room. If it stated room, we would not have a bathroom in this situation.

Does area of vanity need AFCI? If not, does closet? If vanity needs AFCI you are saying it is in BR and not Bath in which case we have no bathroom off of master BR.:confused:
 
M. D. said:
My sister rented a place once , one big room ,with a bathroom ,which did have a door, but the bed was right there ,just off the kitchen space, which was right next to the living space.
How on earth would your inspector deal with this case "it's all a kitchen,..no it's all a bedroom oh hell I'll just say it's a bathroom."
Click to expand...
I've got it! It's a foyer!
 
mpd said:
if the approved plans designate that room as a laundry room, then thats just what it is a laundry room
Click to expand...

what difference would it make if the plans said it was a shopping center? or that the moon was made of green cheese? it is still not a bathroom.
 
Jljohnson said:
DNEM, In my area (Colorado) no way would an inspector sign off on a room with a closet like you describe without AFI. If it is obviously designed as sleeping quarters, AFI will be enforced. I've even had to AFI a "Family room" because the owner's had a murphy bed installed in the wall for use when guests need a place to sleep.
Click to expand...

If it has a bed in it, it is a bed room.
 
In my opinion, the plans designations should supercede the inspector's opinion, especially since they can require plans compliance. If we gotta follow the plans, so do they.
 
I've got it! It's a foyer!
Click to expand...
LOL I like it.

LarryFine said:
In my opinion, the plans designations should supercede the inspector's opinion, especially since they can require plans compliance. If we gotta follow the plans, so do they.
Click to expand...

That would make way too much sense and be far too easy.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top