Rewire
- Thread starter Scalpel
- Start date
Follow BAS and Riveralt's excellent advice on the other thread.
He said
The Guide to the Building Regulations answers your question.
When doing electrical work you must conform to all of the relavent Buiilding Regulations. Not just Part P (Electrical Safety).
Building Regulation Part F deals with ventilation, Part L - Conservation of fuel and power
Also bits of B, C, E, M etc etc.
You do not need a copy of all of them but the excellent guide tells you the most common bits that apply to the work that you are most likely to do.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electricians-Guide-Building-Regulations-Wiring/dp/0863418627/ref=pd_sim_b_6
He said
The Guide to the Building Regulations answers your question.
When doing electrical work you must conform to all of the relavent Buiilding Regulations. Not just Part P (Electrical Safety).
Building Regulation Part F deals with ventilation, Part L - Conservation of fuel and power
Also bits of B, C, E, M etc etc.
You do not need a copy of all of them but the excellent guide tells you the most common bits that apply to the work that you are most likely to do.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electricians-Guide-Building-Regulations-Wiring/dp/0863418627/ref=pd_sim_b_6
As far as I am aware, if the bathroom is an existing one and extraction was not originally installed, there is no regulation to install one. But if your in a position now and there is no open-able window, it would illogical not to.
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Rumour control can really lead one astray and I would read the free "Parts" of the building regulations.
Opening window requires no fan, Non opening window required fan with some means to turn it on without the lights, no window fan can be turned on with lights alone, with open flue fires requires heat recovery system rather than simple fan.
But that's rather over simple way of putting it. I thought an open flue referred to old style open fire but in fact it refers to where combustion air is drawn from rather than type of flue. There seems conflicting information some says same room other refers to whole house so hard to condense into simple rules.
The simple pneumatic timed push button it would seem is all that is required and using the lights to switch on the fan where there is a window is not strictly permitted but it would seem in most cases the LABC passes installations with light triggered fans.
There is also reference to litres of air moved with also varies for simple bathroom and one with toilet and bathroom combined.
And in the main this only applies to new builds.
The energy conservation rules may also require heat recovery system rather than simple fan.
Much depends on the LABC officer and how he reads the rules. Many grey areas and some LABC officers are stricter than others. It does not really pay to get wrong side of them and even if you think something is not required often better to do as they say rather and try to argue.
To me main thing to remember no fan will remove steam or smells unless there is a way for the air to be replaced. Position of vents is very important and to retro fit fans can cause more problems than they solve when fitted without considering the home as a whole rather than just the bathroom.
skotl's comment "Just wondering why you'd be doing this work on behalf of "the customer" when you're a student/apprentice and you presumably have a mentor, gaffer or boss to ask? Why not ask them instead of posting here?" is very valid but the question as to who makes the call as to fit or not fit is also complex. Clearly a customer could be intending to change the non opening window to an opening type or vice versa so to me it's not up to the electrician to decide but down to the home owner to decide which way he is going to comply.
Opening window requires no fan, Non opening window required fan with some means to turn it on without the lights, no window fan can be turned on with lights alone, with open flue fires requires heat recovery system rather than simple fan.
But that's rather over simple way of putting it. I thought an open flue referred to old style open fire but in fact it refers to where combustion air is drawn from rather than type of flue. There seems conflicting information some says same room other refers to whole house so hard to condense into simple rules.
The simple pneumatic timed push button it would seem is all that is required and using the lights to switch on the fan where there is a window is not strictly permitted but it would seem in most cases the LABC passes installations with light triggered fans.
There is also reference to litres of air moved with also varies for simple bathroom and one with toilet and bathroom combined.
And in the main this only applies to new builds.
The energy conservation rules may also require heat recovery system rather than simple fan.
Much depends on the LABC officer and how he reads the rules. Many grey areas and some LABC officers are stricter than others. It does not really pay to get wrong side of them and even if you think something is not required often better to do as they say rather and try to argue.
To me main thing to remember no fan will remove steam or smells unless there is a way for the air to be replaced. Position of vents is very important and to retro fit fans can cause more problems than they solve when fitted without considering the home as a whole rather than just the bathroom.
skotl's comment "Just wondering why you'd be doing this work on behalf of "the customer" when you're a student/apprentice and you presumably have a mentor, gaffer or boss to ask? Why not ask them instead of posting here?" is very valid but the question as to who makes the call as to fit or not fit is also complex. Clearly a customer could be intending to change the non opening window to an opening type or vice versa so to me it's not up to the electrician to decide but down to the home owner to decide which way he is going to comply.
That daft thing about this has obviously always been that, whilst there is no requirement for mechanical ventilation if an 'openable' window (or external door) is present, there is not (and, in reality, cannot be) any requirement for that window to ever actually be opened!
Kind Regards, John
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