Bath exhaust an/ light combo installed above tub

[Tspivey0534]

Hello, I'm new to this forum but looking for a little help- I inspected a remodeled 1920's house in Texas- in the bathroom with the tub/shower insert there was a ceiling mounted bath exhaust and light combo- it doesn't look like it should be over the tub/shower- the electric motor for the fan is subject to spray from the shower head- the ceiling height above the tub once your standing inside the tub is below the 8' recommendation- I looked over the 2012 IRC 4003.11 but the ceiling height does not fit. any suggestion on writing this up would be helpful. Thanks Trent

[John Kogel]

Yep, call it a fault.

The clients will take it from there, but it is wrong and there are plenty of reasons why, shock hazard included.

[Jim Katen]

Hello, I'm new to this forum but looking for a little help- I inspected a remodeled 1920's house in Texas- in the bathroom with the tub/shower insert there was a ceiling mounted bath exhaust and light combo- it doesn't look like it should be over the tub/shower- the electric motor for the fan is subject to spray from the shower head- the ceiling height above the tub once your standing inside the tub is below the 8' recommendation- I looked over the 2012 IRC 4003.11 but the ceiling height does not fit. any suggestion on writing this up would be helpful. Thanks Trent

4003.11 doesn't apply since this isn't a cord-connected luminaire, a chain-, cable-, or cord-suspended luminaire, a lighting track, a pendant, or a ceiling-suspended paddle fan.

Most of those ceiling fan/light kits allow installation above a shower or tub but when they're installed in that location, they require GFCI protection. To know for sure, you'd need to find the installation instructions.

[Tspivey0534]

I appreciate everyone's response- I just see the shower spray nozzle being shot up at the exhaust fan and then there is a major problem. The shower head is not fixed- it has a flex hose so the shower head can be removed- other items in the house seems to be non professionally installed- Like HVAC foil tape over a gas furnace flue pipe connection,

[Jim Katen]

I appreciate everyone's response- I just see the shower spray nozzle being shot up at the exhaust fan and then there is a major problem. The shower head is not fixed- it has a flex hose so the shower head can be removed- other items in the house seems to be non professionally installed- Like HVAC foil tape over a gas furnace flue pipe connection,

No argument here. I generally advocate learning as much as you can about the rules and instructions and then stirring them up in your brain and making a recommendation that makes sense to you.

That is, if TREC will allow you to do that.

[plummen]

Picture?

[Speedy Petey]

Yep, call it a fault.

The clients will take it from there, but it is wrong and there are plenty of reasons why, shock hazard included.

What do you base this on? Your opinion?

It is perfectly code legal, not the best way to install one, but 100% code legal. The one stipulation is that pretty much every bath fan I have ever seen has, according to the instruction, been required to be GFI protected if installed over a tub or shower.

The problem with your "Yep, call it a fault." is that lay folks will take it as fact, when it is really just an opinion. Then we trade folks get looked at funny when we state the actual facts.

[John Kogel]

Yep, call it a fault.

The clients will take it from there, but it is wrong and there are plenty of reasons why, shock hazard included.

What do you base this on? Your opinion?

It is perfectly code legal, not the best way to install one, but 100% code legal. The one stipulation is that pretty much every bath fan I have ever seen has, according to the instruction, been required to be GFI protected if installed over a tub or shower.

The problem with your "Yep, call it a fault." is that lay folks will take it as fact, when it is really just an opinion. Then we trade folks get looked at funny when we state the actual facts.

Well I am in Canada where it is not permitted so that does affect my opinion.

If it was perfectly safe I don't see any reason it would not be permitted here.

If the client wants to rely on a GFI to protect his family from death, then that is up to him and his electrician, I suppose.

The combination fixtures I am familiar with are not rated for mounting over the tub, but that is based on what I've seen here, not what is sold to renovators in Texas, so yes, opinion again. You are right and thanks for the code info.

[Speedy Petey]

Well I am in Canada where it is not permitted so that does affect my opinion.

Well, that certainly does give you something concrete to base your opinion on. Thanks!

[Jim Port]

Amazing how the electrons behave differently above the border so that the rules need to change.

[John Kogel]

Amazing how the electrons behave differently above the border so that the rules need to change.

Here's a just few examples:

Clearance above driveways is greater in Canada. More snow pack, maybe.

Service drop over the roof is verboten, except at the eaves.

Grounding conductor #6 stranded copper, no Al.

15 amp wall outlets, no more than 12 outlets or fixtures per circuit.

Bathroom light switch no closer than 3 feet (1 meter) from the inner edge of the tub.

AFCIs on bedroom outlets only.

Split duplex 15 amp outlets for the kitchen counter. The new rules allow 20 amp, so we can have GFCI outlets. Only needed around the sink.

No ban on Stab-Lok breakers.

There are plenty more.

[Speedy Petey]

No ban on Stab-Lok breakers.

We have no "ban" on STab-Loc breakers.

Just a really bad reputation (the breakers I mean).