2010 September
Electrical Installation of Bathroom Appliances
With technology pushing the boundaries in modern bathrooms to provide us with music, hydro jets, mood lighting and digital control, demand for electricity in the bathroom is rising.
It is essential that the installation of electrical equipment in bathrooms is undertaken safely to eliminate risk of electrocution. The IEE (Institute of electrical Engineers) Wiring Regulations identify particular zones within the bathroom to indicate what type of electrical equipment can be safely installed. A qualified electrician should always be employed to undertake electrical work in your bathroom.
The IEE defines the bathroom as consisting of 3 zones. Bathroom electrical installations after 30th June 2008 must be suitable for the zone that it is being used in. Standard electrical wall sockets and fused switches that do not hold an IP rating must not be used in a bathroom.
Residual Current Devices (RCD) not exceeding 30mA must be used to protect all electrical circuits within the bathroom
All electrical equipment used in a bathroom including extractor fans, lighting, heating, shower pumps and showers powered by electricity must be identified as having a level of mechanical and moisture ingress protection (IP). This is shown by the letters IP followed by 2 numbers, the higher the number, the better the level of protection. The first number denotes the level of mechanical protection and the second number defines the level of protection against moisture. If the electrical bathroom appliance does not show the IP levels for both mechanical and moisture protection, the appliance must not be used in any wet or damp environment.
Shaver power points in the bathroom or wet room must comply with BS EN 60742 Chapter 2, Section 1, and be located in zone 2 or beyond, providing they are unlikely to be subjected to direct spray from any shower.
Additionally IP classified electrical bathroom appliances may be classed as PELV (Protective Extra-Low Voltage) using low voltage but connected to earth or Separated Extra-Low Voltage (SELV), a low voltage system where the output is isolated from the input.
The zones are defined as:
| Zone 0 | The wettest area of a bathroom, for example the interior of the bath or shower. Requires electrical products to be of low voltage (max. 12 volts) and be IPX7 (the mechanical level of protection is not important). |
| Zone 1 | The area of the bathroom directly above zone 0 limited vertically to 2.25m above the bottom of the bath or shower. Also 1.2m horizontally from the centre of a shower outlet to the height of the outlet or 2.25m whichever is the higher. Requires electrical products to be IPX4 or better, or SELV with the transformer located beyond zone 2. |
| Zone 2 | The area of the bathroom beyond zones 0 and 1, 0.6m horizontally and up to 2.25m vertically. Zone 2 also includes any recessed window with a sill next to the bath. Requires electrical products to be IPX4 or better, or SELV with the transformer located beyond zone 2. |
Providing that the space under the bath cannot be accessed without using tools (i.e. screwdriver etc), that space is considered to be 'out of scope'.
Any electrical bathroom appliance approved for use in a zone of a bathroom may be used in a zone of a higher number but must not be used in a zone with a lower number than the appliance IP rating.
The Thoroughly Modern Bathroom
If you’re of a certain age, it’s not impossible to remember the bathroom of the 80’s or 70’s or even beyond! A room difficult to design by class or status, containing very much of the same furniture, the only way to define the social status of the owner was by room dimension. Sitting in a starkly lit bath, in the quiet, where the only entertainment was a book, staring at the bathroom product clutter or watching a spider trying to clamber out of the sink.
Back to today and the bathroom is a very different place. As the demand for technology and comfort have risen, the bathroom has become as tailored a room as any other room in the house, reflecting the personality and style of its owner.
Dedicated bathrooms first came about during the 19th century; however, they were the reserve of the rich. The room was furnished with standalone furniture including a freestanding bath and commode.
It wasn’t until the latter half of the 20th century that the claw foot or tin bath was updated to the built in units we have in our homes today. The rise in ‘in home’ plumbing, a result of housing construction after the 1st World War, integrated the design of water carrying pipe work which led to designated bathrooms with built in fixtures including sink, toilet and bath units. In 1921 1% of homes had a dedicated bathroom in comparison to 100% of homes at the end of the last century.
As we move into the 21st century our focus has shifted again to the use of modular bathroom furniture that allow us to mix and match fixtures according to our needs and personal taste. There has been a steady rise in demand for bath or shower pods that can be re-sited for easy maintenance or room re-design. Our expectations for our bathing experience have evolved with this; bathroom music was once a past time of the brave or fool hardy, depending on the length of your electrical cable. Now we have shower and bath units complete with music players, mood lighting, hydro jets and aromatherapy which can be safely installed to fulfil our desire for invigoration or relaxation, depending on the mood.
As the bathroom revolution takes off, house builders are trying to keep up with the desire of multiple house dwellers finding more and more reasons to linger longer in the bathroom. The bathroom has evolved from a place to attend to personal hygiene to a room to actively pursue emotional wellbeing through the use of hydro-massage, steam and color.
The number of bathrooms in our homes is increasing; the average 4 bedroom house will now usually include an en-suite bathroom, a second bathroom and a cloakroom. As technology progresses and becomes more affordable, home owners are looking to incorporate spa quality facilities in to their bathrooms as well as driving down costs and environmental impact. These expectations are fuelling a bathroom revolution that will fundamentally change the function of our ‘smallest room’ more over the next 50 years then ever before.
ADS-211/212/213 Bamboo Steam Shower
This beautiful shower enclosure is the perfect housing to a host of features and fixtures. This model has an overhead rain drencher shower head, hand shower and four body jets which are fully adjustable.
On top of this it has FM radio and axillary inputs for your favourite music, coloured lighting, movable seat and shelving and mirror. The front walls are clear safety glass and the rear are sandblasted.
Available in square (211), rounded(212) and pentagonal (213) design
Dimensions: 1000MM x 1000MM x 2130MM
The Evolution Of The Bath
The bath or art of bathing is often attributed to the Roman civilisation although the earliest surviving bathtub dates back to 1700 B.C, and hails from the Palace of Knossos in Crete.
As far back as 3000BC the bath or bathing area was in use, not for reasons of personal hygiene, but for the religious belief that water purified the soul. The public bath could be found outside the areas of worship and attendees were required to cleanse themselves in order to purify their spirit before entering. Cold baths were common throughout Asia and steam baths were favoured in Europe and America.
The Romans indulged in daily public bathing specifically for hygiene and socialization, with lead and copper pipes to deliver the water to the communal marble bath and remove water to the sewage system. Rich Roman families had access to private bathrooms, where the shallow bath would span the entire room.
After the decline of the Roman Empire, the art of bathing continued, despite popular belief, and by the Middle Ages there is evidence of soap manufacturing. Invented in the Orient and made from mutton fat, wood ash or potash, and natural soda, soap and hot water was brought to the half-barrel shaped tub, designed for one, for the rich to undertake their personal hygiene. Examples of public baths, or "stews" for the populace have also been discovered. Chamber pots were also common in use during this period.
By the 1300’s the bath was in decline, as the population began to believe that water was the carrier of infection and disease, which could be drawn into the body through the skin. Sweat houses were introduced to replace the bath and large quantities of perfume were manufactured to mask poor hygiene.
The 19th century saw the re-introduction of the bath, but as an activity to be enjoyed alone, an enamelled cast-iron tub. John M Kohler, a manufacturer of farm equipment adapted a horse trough / hog scalder by attaching legs and marketed it as an aid to personal hygiene.
Between 1875 and 1925 huge advances were being made in engineering, allowing pipe work to be fashioned from metals to enable indoor plumbing. This created a rise in the popularity of the bath, unless you had read American journalist Henry L. Mencken’s newspaper report purporting that medical society had deemed it dangerous to the health, and that some authorities had levied a ‘bath tax’. Mencken later (8 years later) admitted that the report had been a hoax.
After World War I, as houses were being rebuilt, bathrooms were integrated into building design. Initially the traditional claw foot bath tub was installed but as technology advanced the built in, apron fronted bath replaced it allowing easier cleaning and maintenance.
As the 20th Century progressed, mass manufacturing of plastics afforded design and colour choice to the bath owner and by the 1980’s the popular ‘avocado’ bathroom suite became the fashion! This style seems to have clung to the bathroom until the end of the century.
As the 21st century dawned and electronic technology became mainstream, we were looking for more ways to incorporate the luxuries it afforded into our lives. The bathroom became more than a room for the function of personal hygiene and our expectation of the bath was to assist in relaxation and inspire stylish design. Integrated bath and shower units reduced the need for space, corner bath units and baths made for two were manufactured and personal style was invited in to the bathroom.
The whirlpools of the day spa and health club were scaled down and fitted with music capability, mood lighting and hydro jets to relax and invigorate the owner. The calming effect of water was re-discovered and the jacuzzi bath and integrated steam shower whirlpool bath were installed to meet demand.
Today’s bath is designed as much for repose as hygiene and as technology expands and consumer demand for comfort and design increases, the future of the bath will continue to develop.
ADS-215/216 Bamboo Steam Shower
This ultra modern steam shower has a natural side, made from waterproofed antiseptic bamboo this shower will add the feeling of nature to your bathroom. Its beautiful curved (215) or angled (216 )glass panels create a smooth and open feel in the bathroom and stop it from seeming too small and cluttered.
Frosted rear glass and clear safety glass walls, fibreglass tray and bamboo frame make this shower long lasting and easy to maintain. The two movable stools offer the freedom to sit when using the steam but can be removed and re-positioned when necessary.
DIMENSIONS: 1450 × 900 × 2170 (MM)