Receptacle in Unusual (possibly wet?) Location

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CuriousHomeInspector

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Little Rock, AR, USA
Today I was at a house that had a "mud room" that had a floor drain, a hose connection, and of course required wall receptacles.

EDIT: The intended use of this area is also claimed as a dog washing area.

However, would this NOT be considered a damp location (unless something has changed in the 2017 NEC)? The location of the receptacles make me think that they would be likely subject to saturation with water or other liquids.

Would 406.9.(B)(1) require these receptacles to have an enclosure that is weatherproof whether or not the attachment plug cap is inserted, identified as "heavy duty" etc, weather resistant, etc?

dog_room.jpgp
dog_room.jpg
 
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Any idea on a definition of when an area becomes a shower rather than just being an area with a hose and floor drain? If it were intended to be a shower I'd also expect non-absorbent all materials for the first 60 inches from the floor....

Kinda one of those weird "What is this defined as?" areas for me...

I'm leaning towards if it is a shower, of course no wall receptacles... if it is NOT a shower, at the very least wet location covers and GFCI protection (which it was at least GFCI'd)
 
CuriousHomeInspector said:
Any idea on a definition of when an area becomes a shower rather than just being an area with a hose and floor drain? If it were intended to be a shower I'd also expect non-absorbent all materials for the first 60 inches from the floor....

Kinda one of those weird "What is this defined as?" areas for me...

I'm leaning towards if it is a shower, of course no wall receptacles... if it is NOT a shower, at the very least wet location covers and GFCI protection (which it was at least GFCI'd)
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It is a dog grooming area, or dog shower.
 
Sounds like a wet location to me and should be treated as such.

Location, Wet. Installations underground or in concrete
slabs or masonry in direct contact with the earth; in loca-
tions subject to saturation with water or other liquids, such
as vehicle washing areas; and in unprotected locations ex-
posed to weather.
Click to expand...
 
The whole room looks poorly designed. The floor appears to not have any slope toward the drain so even a 1/4" of water on the floor will flood under the door. It should have been built with a shower pan and curb to wash dogs.

That said, the receptacle is in no more danger of being flooded than one on the countertop near the kitchen sink. My kitchen sink has such a receptacle and the faucet head pulls out on a hose. The user of the hose will likely not be spraying it around the room willy nilly. It definitely needs a GFCI. The weatherproof cover is a good idea, but not required in my opinion.
 
romex jockey said:
well, if one uses a 'dwelling' as anything other than a dwelling, wouldn't subsections of code apply?

~RJ~
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I think this would be twisting the common definition of "Agriculture".

From Meriam-Webster: the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products.

If one were raising and selling said dogs, maybe it is a livestock operation?
 
Frank DuVal said:
Well, a dwelling garage is quite different than a commercial garage in the code.... Never seen inspector want Article 511 wiring in a house garage.:thumbsup:
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Nor require anything out of 547. We have a pet door from outside into our garage. Winter months it is open for pets to enter as they wish. Gets nasty smelling in there after a while and we do hose it out. No wet location wiring methods used in there, receptacles are 3 feet or more above floor though. Not saying occasional spray doesn't get a little higher on the wall, but that don't necessarily mean it is a wet location other than at/near the floor.

If I had what is pictured in OP, I'd probably prefer the receptacle at least be above the tile.
 
CuriousHomeInspector said:
I'm leaning towards if it is a shower, of course no wall receptacles... if it is NOT a shower, at the very least wet location covers and GFCI protection (which it was at least GFCI'd)
Click to expand...

I would call the local AHJ and let them make a ruling on it.

I wouldn't think of this as a shower but you never know how the AHJ would view something like this. If you are allowed to eliminate the receptacle that would be the simple solution.
 
I think it is probably far enough away from the direct spray of water that it is not necessarily a wet area where the receptacle is located.

I am inclined to think though, that maybe the receptacle should be relocated, or a HD weatherproof cover installed. I might be inclined to change it to a GFCI receptacle as well.

It is clearly not a shower. I don't think a dog washing station really fits anything in the NEC very well. It is more akin to a floor mounted slop sink in a janitor closet than a shower.

To me it seems like the receptacle is located on a wall and walls require receptacles.
 
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Sorry folks, after looking up dog washing stations it appears they are more common that I would have thought.

Most of the ideas for dog washing stations seem to be a separate part of mud room or laundry. Not just a hose and a drain in the floor.
 
infinity said:
Sounds like a wet location to me and should be treated as such.
Location, Wet. Installations underground or in concrete slabs or masonry in direct contact with the earth; in locations subject to saturation with water or other liquids, such as vehicle washing areas; and in unprotected locations exposed to weather.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Well, wait a minute. A kitchen sink, with a noozle on a hose, can be used as a baby / small dog /cat washing station. . .

The required receptacle outlets at the kitchen counter are not treated as if they are in a "Wet Location."

When I use the kitchen sink hosed noozle while cleaning, I definitely am aware of small amounts of scattered spray that is all but impossible to eliminate.

A sink luminaire switch, garbage disposal switch, small appliance receptacle outlet, all are much closer to a person at the sink than that mud / dog area receptacle shown in the OP photo. AND those kitchen switches and outlets are routinely manipulated by a person at the kitchen sink. . . . just sayin.
 
CuriousHomeInspector said:
Today I was at a house that had a "mud room" that had a floor drain, a hose connection, and of course required wall receptacles.

EDIT: The intended use of this area is also claimed as a dog washing area.

However, would this NOT be considered a damp location (unless something has changed in the 2017 NEC)? The location of the receptacles make me think that they would be likely subject to saturation with water or other liquids.

Would 406.9.(B)(1) require these receptacles to have an enclosure that is weatherproof whether or not the attachment plug cap is inserted, identified as "heavy duty" etc, weather resistant, etc?

dog_room.jpgp
dog_room.jpg
Click to expand...
Insane........
 
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