I have a old house that has been gutted down to studs and we are rewiring it. The washer and dryer are in the hall bath. Does the washer require afci and gfci? There is a sink and toilet in the room so I'm assuming it defines as a bathroom. No afci is required in a bathroom and gfci only if within 6' of a sink. Am I ok with just a standard dedicated 20 amp to washer?
When is a laundry room a bathroom?
- Thread starter crtemp
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jumper
Senior Member
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- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
Seems good to me. I would think you need another 20 amp circuit for the bath receptacle requirement.
Yes, I am going to install the receptacle off of the GFI that is in the master bathroom.
Where does it say this in the code? I see in 210.11 (c) (2) it says I must have a 20 amp circuit for the washer plug, but that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking if it needs AFCI and GFCI. If the room it is in is defined as a bathroom per the NEC, and the NEC says that I do not have to have AFCI in a bathroom, or have to have GFCI outside of 6' of a sink, then why is it considered a "laundry area"? How can it be both a bath and a laundry room? Since there is a code for both situations there must be an answer for which I'm suppose to do. I don't see a definition of a "laundry area in the code"
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gadfly56
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You didn't look very hard. NFPA 70 (2011) 550.2:
"...
Laundry Area. An area containing or designated to contain a
laundry tray, clothes washer, or a clothes dryer.
..."
All of the room is a bathroom. A portion of the room is also a Laundry Area. The real questions are what is the boundary, if any, between the "bathroom" and "Laundry Area", and if the Laundry Area is simply a subset of the bathroom, do you just apply the stricter standard for the subset area?
Personally I'd go with the more restrictive of the two requirements.
jumper
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1. 210.11(C)(2) does not specifically say washing machine, it says receptacle(s) for laundry.
2. All 120V 15A and 20A receptacles in a resi bathroom require GFCI protection, not just ones within 6 ft.
3 Neither a laundry area or a bathroom requires AFCI.
jumper
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That section/definition only applies to that article.
550.1 Scope. The provisions of this article cover the electrical
conductors and equipment installed within or on mobile
and manufactured homes,
jumper
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I am on 2011.
I looked as hard a I could. I don't have access to that book. That also says 2011. Washington went from 2008 code to 2014 code. Unless thay adopt all versions of the NFPA. I'm not very familiar with the NFPA
Your correct about all bath plugs need gfci. My mistake
jumper
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Your NEC is NFPA 70.
Oh, duh...
Why is a laundry area defined in article 550, mobile homes, manufactured homes, and mobile home parks? That doesn't really pertain to a stick framed dwelling unit. I think it's a little unfair to say I didn't look very hard for a definition of a laundry area. Why on Earth would I look in this article? Why wouldn't it be in article 100?
jumper
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See post #8.
Sorry didn't see you replied to that. That was my thought too. I don't even know how gadfly56 even knew that was in there. Must have the entire nec memorized (lol)
gadfly56
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- Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
No, I just know how to use the Index
. Although I did completely miss that the section is about mobile homes, etc.Out of curiosity, I checked out Article 100 and they say that the definitions in part I are usually found in two (2) or more articles. "Laundry Area" seems to occur in at least two articles (210 and 550), but is defined only in 550. Article 100 doesn't say whether definitions in one article might apply to the same term found in a different article, which is a shortcoming in my opinion. If you used the definition in 550, I would think you'd be on defensible ground, at least.
No, I just know how to use the Index
Out of curiosity, I checked out Article 100 and they say that the definitions in part I are usually found in two (2) or more articles. "Laundry Area" seems to occur in at least two articles (210 and 550), but is defined only in 550. Article 100 doesn't say whether definitions in one article might apply to the same term found in a different article, which is a shortcoming in my opinion. If you used the definition in 550, I would think you'd be on defensible ground, at least.
Since I'm competing with people on Craigslist half of the time for work, I just want to be able to quote my job for a cheap as I can do it. I'm not going to lose any sleep at night knowing that the washer circuit is not AFCI'd. Just don't want to have to go back and redo anything. The inspectors around here are almost impossible to get in contact with for code questions, or even if I do they won't answer my questions because they say it's not their job to design my jobs and I should know what to do.
starbolin
Senior Member
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- Rancho Buenaventura, California
What code cycle are you on?
When you are reading either of 210.50(C), 210.52(F), or 210.11(C)(2), ( or, under NEC2014, 210.8(A)(10) or 210.12(A) ) then the area is a laundry area. When you are reading either of 210.52(D), 210.11(D)(3), or 210.8(A)(1) then the area is a bathroom.
Under 2014 Laundry Area is defined in 210.52(F) as an 'area designated for the installation of laundry equipment'.
Sorry, a little late to the party on this response -- and I didn't realize you were on the 2011 -- I agree with your initial reasoning. One dedicated 20A circuit for the washing machine (i.e. 'laundry receptacle outlet'), non-GFCI, non-AFCI; and one dedicated 20A circuit for everything else. Only receptales within 6' of the sink need to be GFCI, and nothing on this bathroom circuit needs to be AFCI.
If you were on the 2014, I'm pretty sure everything in this room would need to be AFCI and GFCI.
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