Washing machine in bathroom

Hermy

Can someone tell me what's the regs on having a washing machine in the bathroom. Is it an absolute no-no or is it allowed in certain circumstances?
I'm looking for rented accommodation and found a place that suits but for the washing machine!

meercat

not allowed under any circumstances

Hermy

I'd have guessed that although I'm not in the trade.
Thanks for the confirmation.

mikehammer67

meercat wrote: »

not allowed under any circumstances

what rules cover that situation? i'm not sure but i thought it may be possible myself

This is fairly common in my parents housing estate. Its about 8 years old. Many of the houses here have a large (bigger than standard) downstairs bathroom to accommodate wheelchairs so a lot of the residents (parents included) put their washing machines in the extra space in these bathrooms to add extra cabinet space in the kitchen. The electrician who wired the houses at the time installed a double socket in these bathrooms as an extra.

2011

shaaane wrote: »

The electrician who wired the houses at the time installed a double socket in these bathrooms as an extra.

Definitely not permitted.

However if the bathroom is large enough I can not see the issue with installing a washing machine in it. This could be fed from a spur outlet.

Davy

2011 wrote: »

However if the bathroom is large enough I can not see the issue with installing a washing machine in it. This could be fed from a spur outlet.

Would it not just lead to, to much hassle down the line with the condensation and moisture, nearly a guarantee to happen causing trippings etc

2011

Davy wrote: »

Would it not just lead to, to much hassle down the line with the condensation and moisture, nearly a guarantee to happen causing trippings etc

In my experience no.

I lived on the continent for a number of years in an apartment that had a small wet room / bathroom. All of the apartments in block had washing machines in the bathroom. In fact there was nowhere else it could fit, the kitchen was tiny and the only other rooms were a very small hall, a sitting room and two bedrooms. Yes, it was protected by an RCD and it never tripped.

Based on that I can't see why a washing machine would present a problem in a large bathroom.

2011

2011 wrote: »

Definitely not permitted.

However if the bathroom is large enough I can not see the issue with installing a washing machine in it. This could be fed from a spur outlet.

Ya I know. I've been meaning to do something about it for a while. It bugs me every time I see it. Rules or not, my mother won't move the washing machine from where it is. The space under the stairs in the hall is on the other side of the wall the machine backs on to. I was thinking of moving the socket out there and feeding the machine cable through the wall and powering it from there.

These are what I call "boom houses". Thrown together as quick and as cheap as possible with very little regard for regulations. Every so often I'm finding something new (electrical, plumbing, carpentry, plastering etc) that was done a**e ways. The builder and electrician are both gone to the wall. Wonder why? :rolleyes:

My parents' house has the washing machine in the bathroom. Granted, the power outlet is not there - it's on the opposite side of the wall and protected with an RCD. I wasn't aware that it's not allowed.

HeidiHeidi

shaaane wrote: »

Ya I know. I've been meaning to do something about it for a while. It bugs me every time I see it. Rules or not, my mother won't move the washing machine from where it is. The space under the stairs in the hall is on the other side of the wall the machine backs on to. I was thinking of moving the socket out there and feeding the machine cable through the wall and powering it from there.

These are what I call "boom houses". Thrown together as quick and as cheap as possible with very little regard for regulations. Every so often I'm finding something new (electrical, plumbing, carpentry, plastering etc) that was done a**e ways. The builder and electrician are both gone to the wall. Wonder why? :rolleyes:

This is exactly the setup I have. Only mine is not a "boom house", it's a 1904 house with a return that I had to knock down and rebuild, and when I was doing that I decided that rather than sacrifice a cupboard in my very small kitchen, I'd rather have the WM in the bathroom upstairs. So that's what we did. The WM is plumbed into the bathroom, the flex goes through the wall and the plug is on the landing outside.

I had seen plenty of bathrooms with WM/dryers in european houses/apartments, but was assured that the voltages were different there, so it wasn't allowed here. Mine was deemed an acceptable compromise.

Whether it'll throw up all sorts of problems if/when I sell the house, I have no idea, but for now it's an ideal set up for me, and I'm quite happy with it!

Bruthal

Davy wrote: »

Would it not just lead to, to much hassle down the line with the condensation and moisture, nearly a guarantee to happen causing trippings etc

It would be unlikely to cause tripping problems even with rcd`s.

mikehammer67

are they allowed in zone 3? if the manufacturers warranty has no problem with it?


that seems to be the case in the uk


i don't see anything in rules against it?

Bruthal

Well they can't really be any more of a risk than a shower unit. Even with a standard socket it wouldn't be much of a danger. The problem thst might be seen with sockets in the bathroom is other items that might be used in them in the bathroom.

IMO properly wired socket wouldn't be much of an electrocution danger. The bigger risk would be falling in the bathroom from any sort of minor shock. Many people think they were thrown across the room when they touch the pins of a bulb holder by accident when changing a bulb, which is really just stumbling from fright.

Bruthal

mikehammer67 wrote: »

are they allowed in zone 3? if the manufacturers warranty has no problem with it?


that seems to be the case in the uk


i don't see anything in rules against it?

They`d be wanting a socket behind the machine, and isolator above it, the way they do things here.

mikehammer67

it's stated in the rules that sockets and wall-mounted switches are prohibited in bathroms anyhow

but it appears the washer itself may be allowed in zone 3 and outside zones

mikehammer67

Bruthal wrote: »

They`d be wanting a socket behind the machine, and isolator above it, the way they do things here.

flex outlet

but you're getting into voiding warranty territory then

by cutting off moulded plug

Bruthal

Yea that was my point about the sockets in bathroom, that even if they allowed them, they wouldn't likely allow wall switches, but it would be a hidden socket.

If you flex outlet a machine in the kitchen, you would think they would still want an accessible isolator.

mikehammer67

flex outlet for washer

pull-cord or isolating switch (outside door) i would say



http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056314670
-there seems to be a general assumprion that the rules forbid it-i'm not sure that's actually the case though

Bruthal

There are a lot of assumptions anyway. Bathroom plus electric item = death is ingrained in the minds of many.

Bruthal

mikehammer67 wrote: »

flex outlet for washer

pull-cord or isolating switch (outside door) i would say



http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056314670
-there seems to be a general assumprion that the rules forbid it-i'm not sure that's actually the case though

I don't believe the one about mains pressure too low upstairs to open washing machine valve. 3 metres higher, 0.3 bar difference.

Hermy

Thanks for the replies.

shaaane wrote: »

...Many of the houses here have a large (bigger than standard) downstairs bathroom...

This downstairs bathroom is made cramped by the washing machine.

2011

mikehammer67 wrote: »

it's stated in the rules that sockets and wall-mounted switches are prohibited in bathroms anyhow

but it appears the washer itself may be allowed in zone 3 and outside zones

Agreed. That is pretty much waht I said in post #6

mikehammer67

yes
he would need to check if it's within 600mm of bath or shower anyhow


because it's certainly not allowed in zone2
or to be plugged in

Hermy

mikehammer67 wrote: »

he would need to check if it's within 600mm of bath or shower anyhow

It's right next to the bath in my case.

mikehammer67

Hermy wrote: »

It's right next to the bath in my case.

it's not allowed there anyhow

deandean

Not in a bathroom.

It might be OK in a 'dounstairs toilet / utility room' though.

Like this :eek:

mikehammer67

TABLE 701A:ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT PERMISSIBLE IN ROOMS CONTAINING A BATH OR SHOWER

ZONE 3 FIXED APPLIANCES ETC.

-no special requirements except for luminaires


i assume that covers it unless i'm missing the obvious?

mikehammer67

mikehammer67 wrote: »

TABLE 701A:ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT PERMISSIBLE IN ROOMS CONTAINING A BATH OR SHOWER

ZONE 3 FIXED APPLIANCES ETC.

-no special requirements except for luminaires


i assume that covers it unless i'm missing the obvious?

Damn. I'll have to take the reading lamp I use for the newspapers out of the downstairs jacks so