Well-functioning bathrooms achieve a lot. When they run well and look good, they increase the value of our homes, they keep us safe from things like mold, and they allow us to feel refreshed and at home in our houses. Sometimes, though, our bathrooms themselves are in need of a refresh. As those who own … Read more
Bathroom Vent Location | Bathroom Exhaust
Well, there’s no specific building code requirement for the bathroom vent location / exhaust fan installation. You can have it almost anywhere on the ceiling or wall (floors are forbidden due to possibility of vent flooding). The one you see on the picture is slightly above the floor level (it’s actually just a register, fan motor installed in the attic above), and I personally guarantee that in this location works like a charm (this bathroom has one more above the shower stall).
The reason for placing the bathroom vent motor in the attic and running an […]
Bathroom vent CFM calculator uses 3 stage formula located below. It is based on HVI (Home Ventilating Institute) guidelines that recommend approximately 8 room air exchanges per hour for a bathroom under 100 square feet of area. CFM – cubic feet per minute – general term used to specify the amount of air that the … Read more
Bathroom window safety glass is required if the bottom edge of the window is within 60” from the tub or shower standing surface.
This bathroom window safety glass requirement has been with us since 1991 edition of the Uniform Building Code. However, almost every single home inspection I perform in a new construction or gut-rehabbed properties fails on the bathroom window… obviously; it’s not an important requirement.
Anyway, for your own safety (not the developers), if you have a window on one of the shower or bathtub surrounding walls and its bottom section of the glass starts less than 60” from […]
Every bathroom without an openable window (min 1.5sq. ft) requires an exhaust fan. The bathroom ceiling exhaust (or wall) should be discharging to the house exterior, not into the ceiling / wall frame cavity, or another room, crawlspace, attic, etc. This is extremely important if your bathroom contains any significant humidity source like a shower … Read more
Bathroom GFCI receptacle protection is required by the NEC (National Electrical Code), and of course by the common sense – why would you risk getting electrocuted if you can secure your safety by installing GFCI outlet.
Since some bathrooms are currently equipped with many electrical current hungry devices, power supply requirements had to be slightly adjusted. We used to have a bathroom sharing an electrical circuit with exterior outlets, the kitchen, and a garage – not anymore.
Of course, the minimum requirement listed below is not going to work if you add a steam shower, heated electric floor, hydro-spa heater, several light […]
