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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Question:

These insights are great learn something every day.

The question I am asking comes from one of me contactors that I inspect their work. Bathroom has been defined in ART 100 in the 2008, 2011, and now 2014 Nec as pretty much anything that looks like a bathroom or powder room is a bathroom.  Bathroom: has a sink, or one of any of the following. Tub, toilet, shower, bidet, of similar like plumbing like fixtures..  However the 2015 International. building code that preempts the NEC here in New York defines a powderoom and a bathroom differently: powderoom has only a sink and toilet. NO Tub, no shower or like.  Bathroom has a Shower, tub..  IN the NEC the Bathroom is prohibitive of a location for a service disconnect, But can a service panel board be in a powderoom? According to ART 230 NO in nec, but Building Code officials say yes.  Why aren’t we all on same page with this. Words are used differently, service disconnect, panel board.

Looking forward to this discussion. Bill Schell

A

Answer:

Hey Bill thanks for your question, we are glad you enjoy the CQD. I couldn't find the term "powderoom" defined in the 2015 International Building Code (IBC). Various dictionaries describe it as a "half bath" or room with a toilet and sink but no shower or bathtub. It also used to be a room where you kept your gunpowder. Section 2701.1 of the 2015 IBC requires that electrical components, equipment and systems be designed and constructed in accordance with the provisions of NFPA 70. Either way it is a bathroom if it has a basin with one or more other fixtures as defined in Article 100. Service equipment is not allowed in bathrooms as stated in 230.70(A)(2).

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