Hello. I've been told by my BCO that I must fit an extractor in my new bathroom even tho' it has a large opening window - pfffft. It'll be mounted high up over the bath which has a shower mixer tap, and he says it'll therefore need to be ELV as it's 'Zone 1'. Is this the case, or could I fit an inline mains powered fan with a short length of duct between it and the bathroom wall vent? Thanks.
It won't ever be used - it's just to conform... There's also not much distance between where the extractor will come through the wall and where the roof vent tile is fitted, so I think I may need to go standard type. Thankfully, when I did our loft conversion, I fitted everything needed should anyone else want to fit an extractor - wiring, switch, vent tile etc. - never intending to actually fit one myself; ugly bar stewards. But BCO insists... So, as long as it's IPX4 rated, it can go on wall above bath?
Yes IPX4 unless exposed to water jets, then IPX5. Water jets would be from using a hose to clean down.
On a practical note, unless you keep the window open, the extractor fan will do a lot to prevent condensation, in the bathroom and the nearby rooms. Mounting the fan over the moisture source is an excellent idea, it will draw out the moisture at source. The ventilation regs may seem a P.I.T.A. but they do work.
We've got a Manrose inline fan in our bathroom, which also has a window. I find the fan more effective than opening a window.
Thank you. Yes, I've fitted an extractor in the downstairs shower room because an open window wasn't enough. But in the upstairs loo, the bath is rarely used and I just didn't want to fit an extractor as they are ugly. But I put everything in place for the future should anyone else decide to fit one. The BCO insists, tho', so I'm going to have to do it to get a completion cert. I've attached a photo of the wall end - the extractor will go right up in the corner, on the wall itself. Height from floor to extractor centre - 2070mm. Bath height - 600mm. Height of extractor above bath 1470mm. I don't want to fit an IPX4 fan only to find that a '5' is needed! Or is a sensible alternative solution to go ELV? Thanks all.
Please educate me, under what circumstances do you need a cert for the bathroom and what does it cover? Asking for a friend.
All electrical work, anywhere, really should be certified that it complies with BS7671. IN ADDITION to certification there is notification … Most electrical work done in bathrooms* is notifiable to the Local Authority. This is best done by the registered electrician that did the work. If it is a DIY job, you need to raise a building notice and pay a fee before the work starts. Building control will want to inspect the work and will expect you/ your ‘friend’ to be able to do all of the required tests. ( these will be needed for the BS7671 certificate in any case!). When the job is done, you get a Building Regs Completion Certificate. *in England notifiable work is defined as being done inside zones 0,1 or 2 of a bathroom. Scotland and Wales have different rules.
Bloomin' and Bazza - this was the last requirement for the loft conversion I'd had done on the house. I had an Arch draw it all up with the aid of an SE, and they sorted out all the BCO requirements, contact and monitoring - this was done on the basis of a builder doing the structural stuff and first fix, and me the interior and second. So the leccy option from the off was for a DIY install and the BCO to confirm all done to requirements. The extractor issue was that I just hadn't fitted one as I think they are ugly. However the BCO insisted - hence this last wee job ticking all the boxes.
Sorry, @Allsorts I was replying to @Bloomin Scarper who had hijacked your topic. That's what happens when you don't start a new topic of your own He/she is a bad person.
Consider my wrists well and truly slapped. Thanks for the replies - so sounds like its not so much a "bathroom" requirement per se, but an electrically related requirement. In AS's case, his plans included some bathroom jiggery-pokery so BC insisted a fan be installed...other than that I assume its "just" a matter of having all electrical work appropriately done/signed off. I'll let my friend know