Bathroom

A bathroom or North German bathhouse, colloquially referred to briefly as bathroom, the room is an apartment or a residential building, in the bath or shower, wash your hands or " refresh " to people. In the U.S., the question of the "bathroom " a euphemism for the search for the toilet. Often the bathroom for shaving and hair care is being used.

The commonly used term for bathroom wet room also referred to other rooms where water points are available and where the soil is equipped waterproof, such as a shower, a laundry room or toilet and washing facilities in a company.

History

In a big city like Copenhagen existed in 1906 only 3.8 percent of all housing a bathroom. As the Hotel Ritz opened in London in the same year, it had a novelty in every suite bathroom.

A general diffusion of bathrooms in Germany took place only in the second half of the 20th century. In new buildings in the 1950s, it still spoke of a wet room. Previously, bathed in tubs, vats or tubs in the kitchen, laundry room or in cities in public baths, the so-called People's bathrooms. A bathroom could afford only very wealthy people up to this point. For the luxury of a bathroom following requirements had to be met: a separate room that was possible heating, running water, a connection to the house sewer, a special furnace or boiler, which was big enough to heat a relatively large amount of water can, and ultimately a pan. A transitional form represented the so-called Frankfurt bathroom, the bathtub was located in this type of housing in the kitchen or in another room.

Equipment

Normal inventory in a bathroom are a bath and / or shower and a wash basin and soap, brushes, towels and fittings. Nowadays, mostly it is also a toilet part of the bathroom, in many countries, also a bidet. Bathroom ideas but have taken on a new dimension lately. In addition to the purely functional elements such as a shower or toilet increasing focus bathroom ideas for spa elements into modern bathroom concepts (for example, sauna cabins, infrared heat cabins, hot tubs, fitness equipment, etc.)

Electrical Safety

In rooms with bath or shower is for people - at least temporarily due to the humid conditions - a higher risk than in the usual dry environment to be at risk from electrical systems and equipment. Therefore, there are special requirements for electrical equipment in these rooms, the subject of the international standard IEC 60364-7-701:2006-02 are and will be treated for Germany in the DIN VDE standard 0100-701:2008-10.

For electrical equipment in rooms with bath and shower the specified areas 0, 1 and 2 and their limits must be considered in accordance with DIN VDE 0100-701:2008-10. The type of approved electrical equipment, the degree of protection, the permissible operating voltage and the execution of cable and cable systems in the various areas is strictly regulated. The following information is intended as a simplified and abridged overview of the key points in the standard; clarification of details, should you choose a qualified electrician.

• In the range 0 to electrical equipment may only be built if they are specifically suitable according to the manufacturer's instructions for use and installation in this area and are fixedly mounted and connected and by SELV at a nominal voltage AC 12 V or DC 30 V and protection IPX7 have.

• In section 1, electrical equipment may only be built if they are suitable according to the manufacturer's instructions for use and installation in this area and are fixedly mounted and connected and for other resources as ( approved for mains operation) Jacuzzi facilities, Duschpumen, consumables for ventilation, have towel dryer and water heater by SELV at a nominal voltage AC 25 V or DC 60 V and protection IPX4 or in the water jet area IPX5.

• In section 2, electrical equipment may only be built if they meet at least the degree of protection IPX4 and if it (not even those with hinged lid) are no receptacles.

All circuits shall be protected by a residual current device (RCD ) with a rated residual current of IΔN = 30 mA. This also applies to cable and cable systems, which are carried out through the room, but intended for a different room.

Distribution Boards are not permitted in rooms with bath or shower and, if installed in an adjacent room must be adhered to a mineral residual wall thickness of at least 6 cm to the room with shower or bath.

For standing under grandfathering existing plants retrofitted on current state of the art (standard position ) is not required as long as the system is not expanded. Existing outlets may at any time be replaced with similar or even against those with additional protection ( SRCDs or colloquially FI- sockets). However, if a socket displaced or there is another added, it must be upgraded to the current state of the art. Thus the whole supply circuit must ( ie including the cable and line systems ) protected with an RCD (which continuous three-wire wiring up to the next distributor requires ).