Electrical zone regulations for washroom?

[Penners]

We have a small cloakroom, which houses a washbasin and toilet. There is a disused electrical connector on the wall, where I imagine there was once an electric heater.

I want to re-install a heater, but I'm not sure whether the height of the unit will comply with today's bathroom zone regulations. The heater I have in mind is rated IP21, but since the room is only 2.15m high I obviously can't get it mounted high enough on the wall to comply with Zone 3. I believe this requires a height of 2.25m or more.

So, the critical question is: do these zone regulations apply if there is no bath or shower in the room?

Any advice please?

 

[Lime]

The bathroom regulations do not apply to a room with only a handbasin otherwise the regulations would apply to a kitchen with sink too, which they don't.

 

[Penners]

That's excellent news. Many thanks, Lime.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

ooo Penners, bit quick into the New Year with the projects-------good luck!

 

[CatherineB]

Ooh careful, Penners, starting this early, you might be in danger of finishing that job before Christmas...

Time for a kit Kat break, perhaps?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

And do take care lifting the unit up to fix it to the wall - perhaps Mrs P could hold it in place, as we don't want a recurrence of that problem we are all so reluctant to talk about. Or did you get a thermal truss for Christmas?

 

[Flyfisher]

The bathroom regulations do not apply to a room with only a handbasin otherwise the regulations would apply to a kitchen with sink too, which they don't.

Hmm. Does a bathroom really need to house a bath or shower to be defined as such? Surely a room with a basin and lavatory would be classed as a 'special location' in a similar manner to a bathroom or kitchen, in which case it must comply with the Part P regulations and therefore be signed off by a competent person. Even if a 'cloakroom' does not contain a bath or shower, bathrooms do contain sinks and have defined zones around them - it seems reasonable to treat a cloakroom sink in the same way.

On the other hand, merely replacing an existing (or once-existing) wall heater without making any alterations to the existing wiring might well fall outside of the scope of Part P, or is changing the water-heater itself classed as 'alteration' in a 'special location'? In which case sign-off is probably required whoever does the work. It's all a bit of a minefield without the advice of a 'competent' person these days.

It's a great shame that the water heater wasn't replaced by the previous owners a couple of years ago . . .

 

[MdB]

I want to re-install a heater, but I'm not sure whether the height of the unit will comply with today's bathroom zone regulations. The heater I have in mind is rated IP21, but since the room is only 2.15m high I obviously can't get it mounted high enough on the wall to comply with Zone 3. I believe this requires a height of 2.25m or more.

Zone 3 - There is no Zone 3 (It was removed in the 17th addition).

Zone 2 - Reaches 600mm from the water of a full basin. So your heater should be ok above it.

I'm not sure if this rule also applies to kitchens. I would guess that it does but I don't know for sure.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Steady on Penners. SWMBO occasionally reads this site whilst the serfs are applying her nail polish -we don't want her getting any crazy ideas about progress this early in the New Year! :shock:

After sufficient planning and consideration (with tea and KitKats) I would suggest just fixing the thing and ignoring the current regs. Who's to say how long it has been there?

I've just spent a very frustrating day tracking down why there is now no water in any of the field troughs - expecting leaks and digging up each tank's tap, only to find at the end of the day that the bloody water board have turned off the supply cock! You'd think they'd tell you when they did this.... :twisted:

 

[Penners]

ooo Penners, bit quick into the New Year with the projects-------good luck!

Thanks, Joss. Actually it's only an excuse to get out of taking down the Christmas decorations. :wink:

Time for a kit Kat break, perhaps?

Strange, but that 6-pack of Kit-Kats seems to have disappeared already.

we don't want a recurrence of that problem we are all so reluctant to talk about.

I'm touched by your concern, Gareth, but I'm saving up that excuse until after the decorations are down (q.v.).

replacing an existing (or once-existing) wall heater without making any alterations to the existing wiring might well fall outside of the scope of Part P

Thanks for your thoughts, FF. As I understand it, a householder is permitted to replace an appliance under Part P, without reference to a "competent person". Therefore my concern was more related to safety than to the qualifications of the installer. I have confidence in my competence!

Zone 3 - There is no Zone 3 (It was removed in the 17th addition).
Zone 2 - Reaches 600mm from the water of a full basin. So your heater should be ok above it.

Thanks, MdB. Actually, the heater point is on the opposite wall to the washbasin, well over 600mm from it. However, it is roughly a metre above the toilet cistern, on the same wall as it. Is that OK?

On the matter of Zone 3, does its demise mean that any appliance can now be installed in what was previously Zone 3?

 

[Penners]

Steady on Penners. SWMBO occasionally reads this site whilst the serfs are applying her nail polish -we don't want her getting any crazy ideas about progress this early in the New Year! :shock:

Read my comments above about the Christmas decorations, FW. You may then consider that getting to work right away could be regarded as enlightened self-interest. :wink:

 

[MdB]

On the matter of Zone 3, does its demise mean that any appliance can now be installed in what was previously Zone 3?

My understanding (I'm not an expert) is yes, anything can be installed. However, in the UK at least, this frowned upon by the sparky trade.

Anything in the bathroom will have to be on an RCD so this offsets some of the additional dangers of this change which is to bring us into line with what they do in Europe I believe.

 

[Penners]

Thanks again, MdB. I don't have any plans to install anything else - just interested in the principle.

As regards the RCD, yes that circuit is protected in that way.

 

[Lime]

The bathroom regulations do not apply to a room with only a handbasin otherwise the regulations would apply to a kitchen with sink too, which they don't.

Hmm. Does a bathroom really need to house a bath or shower to be defined as such? Surely a room with a basin and lavatory would be classed as a 'special location' in a similar manner to a bathroom or kitchen, in which case it must comply with the Part P regulations and therefore be signed off by a competent person. Even if a 'cloakroom' does not contain a bath or shower, bathrooms do contain sinks and have defined zones around them - it seems reasonable to treat a cloakroom sink in the same way.

On the other hand, merely replacing an existing (or once-existing) wall heater without making any alterations to the existing wiring might well fall outside of the scope of Part P, or is changing the water-heater itself classed as 'alteration' in a 'special location'? In which case sign-off is probably required whoever does the work. It's all a bit of a minefield without the advice of a 'competent' person these days.

It's a great shame that the water heater wasn't replaced by the previous owners a couple of years ago . . .

No, a room with a hand basin is not a special location.
There are no zones around a hand basin or sink.
The diagrams often found in some DIY and builders merchants making a zone around a hand basin are an invention and are not found in the BS 7671 (17th Ed) definitions whatsoever unless in the zone of a bath or shower tray.
As this is a replacement of an electrical fitting (previously removed) and not in a bathroom, shower room or kitchen LBC Part P does not apply either.

 

[Flyfisher]

Interesting. Thanks for that clarification.

 

[Penners]

Yes, thanks Lime.