Tumble Dryer in internal bathroom?

uberwolf

I'd like to put a tumble dryer and washing machine stacked in to my bathroom. The bathroom is internal to an apartment, and so has only the standard electrical roof vent installed.

Whilst I'm not actually proposing to do the plumbing and electrical work myself, I'm trying to get a feel for whether it can be / should be done?

Thanks

brightspark

Electrically the answer is a definite NO.

You are not allowed to put sockets (apart from shaver sockets) in a bathroom.

The rules also do not allow any equipment to be used in a bathroom unless specifically designed.


I suggest you purchase a condensing dryer and so solve the need for any venting!

uberwolf

Thanks. One home I'm frequently in has the two machines in the bathroom, albeit with the power coming from behind the machines - that wall backs into a living room - so the sockets are in another room.

What I'm saying is if it were safe, and reasonable, I'd have no issue with the lines running in from another area of the property.

I currently have a washer/dryer which is fairly crap, and would love to get it out of the kitchen and replaced with two seperate machines. The bathroom is huge so that's why I'm thinking that room.

sunnysoutheast

As far as I'm aware bathrooms are separated into zones 0,1,2 and fittings have to be a certain IP (ingress protection and mechanical separation) rating in each zone.

I believe that standard sockets and switches can be used 3 metres away from the zone 2 boundary.

Check with a sparks on local IE regs., but if your bathroom is big enough you should be OK.

Bear in mind most utility rooms have appliances under a sink, so it's a fairly artificial rule anyway.

SSE

PS maybe you should move this to the electrical sub-forum?

niceirishfella

brightspark wrote: »

Electrically the answer is a definite NO.

You are not allowed to put sockets (apart from shaver sockets) in a bathroom.

The rules also do not allow any equipment to be used in a bathroom unless specifically designed.


I suggest you purchase a condensing dryer and so solve the need for any venting!

how do they do it on the continent? its the norm over there.

uberwolf

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

PS maybe you should move this to the electrical sub-forum?

I suppose we know the plumbing end is probably workable

The other question is around the heat / condensation issue. I would buy the right machine for the location, but it just seems not to be the done thing.

The bathroom isn't palatial, but just has the most dead space of any room in the apartment

niceirishfella

build a utility closet in the bathroom if you have so much dead space in it?
You could run services into it and get a condenser dryer so then there would be no need for a vent?

ART6

niceirishfella wrote: »

how do they do it on the continent? its the norm over there.

Perhaps not as obsessed with regulation as we are?

niceirishfella

ART6 wrote: »

Perhaps not as obsessed with regulation as we are?

True - :rolleyes:

i think its a great use of space in small apartments as a utility room is not available.

brightspark

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

As far as I'm aware bathrooms are separated into zones 0,1,2 and fittings have to be a certain IP (ingress protection and mechanical separation) rating in each zone.

I believe that standard sockets and switches can be used 3 metres away from the zone 2 boundary.

First of all to clarify the Zones.

From the "Guide to the national rules for electrical installations as applicable to domestic and similar installations" (ET207:2003) The zones are defined as follows

Zone 0
The Inside of the bath or shower basin

Zone 1
The space immediately above the bath up to 2.25m above the floor (also including the space below the bath if easily accessible)

Zone 2
The space within 0.6m away from the edge of Zone 0 (up to 2.25m from floor level)

Zone 3
The space within 2.4m horizontally away from Zone 2;
The space immediately above Zones 1 and 2 up to 3m above floor level;
The space below the bath if enclosed in screwed paneling, otherwise it's Zone 1

Where an airing cupboard "hot press" opens directly into a bathroom the zone distances apply.

and under "Appliances and equipment permissible"

The limits for Zone 3 are more lenient; only the following are prohibited:
- mains socket outlets
- wall switches
- unsheathed heating elements (of the type used in some types of portable electric fires)

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

if your bathroom is big enough you should be OK.

Unless the OP has a very big apartment, I very much doubt if his bathroom is big enough, i.e. has more than 3m (0.6m+2.4m) from the edge of the bath/shower.

uberwolf wrote: »

One home I'm frequently in has the two machines in the bathroom, albeit with the power coming from behind the machines - that wall backs into a living room - so the sockets are in another room.

Again unless they have a big bathroom it's probably not what "should be done" Almost anything "can" be done

uberwolf

niceirishfella wrote: »

build a utility closet in the bathroom if you have so much dead space in it?
You could run services into it and get a condenser dryer so then there would be no need for a vent?

that had been the hope

brightspark wrote: »

Unless the OP has a very big apartment, I very much doubt if his bathroom is big enough, i.e. has more than 3m (0.6m+2.4m) from the edge of the bath/shower.




Again unless they have a big bathroom it's probably not what "should be done" Almost anything "can" be done

It's not that big... (unfortunately)