Bathroom Outlet Code

Know electrical code rules and restrictions.

Bathroom outlet code. All bathroom sinks should be 4 inches from the side walls at minimum and should also have at least 21 inches of front clearance. Electrical codes for bathrooms are different than every other part of the house and for good reason. Outlets within 6 feet of a water source must be gfci protected.

Outlets within 6 feet of a water source must be gfci protected. Heating appliances have heavy power draw so the code requires that this bathroom appliance circuit is a 20 amp rather than a 15 amp circuit. There are minimum clearances and spaces that are determined by local regulators.

The outlets in a bathroom should be served by a 20 amp circuit separate from the lighting circuit to provide power items such as curling irons razors and hairdryers. The outlet receptacles must be served by a 20 amp circuit. Among other wiring installation details the electrical code specifies how electrical outlets should be spaced and which types of outlets to use in general living areas in bathrooms in kitchens and in other locations.

Outlet circuit must be 20 amps. 2 separate sinks built next to each other also have to have a spacing of 4 inches or more. Gfci breakers and outlets have been around for awhile and most people know they re required in bathrooms kitchens and outdoors.

The 4 inch rule also applies to the spacing between the sink and the. See the whole house in the remodelista book photograph by matthew williams. But our experts are still finding home electrical violations especially in garages crawl spaces storage work areas in unfinished basements wet bars within six feet of a sink and sump pumps.

Far from being arbitrary the electrical code as it relates to outlets is imminently practical. Bathroom code doesn t want you standing in tubs or showers while turning switches on or off so switches must be 60 inches minimum from these places. Bathrooms do not need to have fans but they are required to have ventilation.