elec. code for heater in bathroom

[Michael Press]

The master bathroom in my house is freezing in winter. I'm thinking of installing a wall heater or portable heater that I could put on a timer to run just for a couple of hours in the morning. I have 2 options:

1) Install an electric wall heater. There's an outlet on the other side of the wall in where I'd install the heater, so I could run power to it easily. The heater would be 2ft from the toilet, 4-5ft from the shower and 6ft from the bath. It would be in a corner, almost under a window (the window's on the other wall formed by the corner).

2) Install an outlet, presumably a GFI, in the same location, and plug in a portable heater on a timer.

Any opinions? Are there any electrical code issues I should know about?

Thanks, Michael

[Chris Lewis]

According to Michael Press :

Code doesn't like electrical outlets or switches within 4' (or so, details vary from code-to-code) from a shower or bath. This would apply for a permanently installed heater too. I don't think they care about toilets.

While code doesn't rule on how close a portable heater can be to a shower or bath, it's best to follow it anyway. Make sure the cord ain't long enough for it to fall into the bath...

It must be on a GFCI regardless (tho a permanently installed heater may be code exempt if you want to be picky).

Under a window is best for efficiency.

I'd prefer a permanently installed one.

[HA HA Budys Here]

(1) Shower or Bathtub Space. Receptacle outlets shall not be installed in or within reach [30 in. (762 mm)] of a shower or bathtub space.

May be exempt, and is if it's permanently installed. I searched the NEC and can't find anything that even remotely suggests you can't install a permanently

- connected, permanently installed in-wall heater or electric baseboard heater right up against the bathtub...

[William Brown]

[PAUL100]

What about replacing your exhaust vent (if you have one) with a combonation exhaust vent and heater.

[m-carlson]

Don't know about code, but I did this recently: bought an oil filled electric radiator for a somewhat large bathroom. I think it's a Kenwood. It has a timer and heats the room up to 80 for 2 hours every morning. Now my furnace only turns above "nighttime" temperatures for a few hours in the evening as I no longer reheat my house in the morning just to take a shower and dress.

I went with the portable as (a) it was a quick solution in the midst of winter, and (b) I figured there may be times when I want to use the heater in the basement or garage.

I *wish* I had radiant heat on a timer under the tile floor. And I'm going to look into the duct or towel heater option.

Matt

[Tony Hwang]

[Art Todesco]

[Chris Lewis]

According to HA HA Budys Here :

Is that all US codes? Our code used to say "within reach", and then it's been specified more exactly. And moved around a bit. This is why I hedged.

H'm. You'd probably find them covered under the switch rules if it has any user-accessible controls on them.

An ordinary portable heater would _likely_ be considered to be non-exempt from the GFCI rules. The exemption is primarily for large appliances that wouldn't move, like a dryer or clothes washer, which usually have excellent grounding anyway. Or builtins of course.

To be exempt by latest codes, a plug-connected heater also have to be on a single outlet receptacle.

Thus, a plug heater physically attached to something in the bathroom on a single outlet may be exempt.

Ie: a B&D plugin cube fan heater would need GFCI. A wall/ceiling mounted plugin IR unit probably wouldn't if it was on a single outlet.