Under Floor Heating thermostat - Inside or Outside the Bathroom?

D

deanomc

Can someone with an understanding of the Regs help me with. I have had two electricians price up a job to install underfloor heating matts in my bathroom. One told me it is ok to have the thermostat and fuse spur in the bathroom and the other said it needs to be outside the bathroom. Ideally I want it placed inside the bathroom. The bathroom is 2.7 long and 1.7 wide and the thermostatic switch is 1.1m away from the nearest point of water ( zone 2). I know I can play it safe by putting it outside but I don't want a panel in my hallway. Can anyone advise?
 
Murdoch said:
If it was me I would put the fused spur in the hall and the controller in the bathroom.
Click to expand...

hmmmm, I wasn't given this option but this could work! So to confirm.......its ok to have a thermostat inside zone 2 (even if it is not 1p44) as long as the fuse spur is outside the bathroom.
 
deanomc said:
hmmmm, I wasn't given this option but this could work! So to confirm.......its ok to have a thermostat inside zone 2 (even if it is not 1p44) as long as the fuse spur is outside the bathroom.
Click to expand...

How is it inside zone 2 given the dimension you gave? What is the "closest" water point?
 
it's not the closest water point that matters. it's the distance from the bath/shower basin ( as long as equipment is suitable for the environment ).
 
you need to turn it on a couple of hours before your bath, so that would save going into the bathroom just to switch on.
 
apologies. It is 1.1m from the basin but also close to the toilet. I was presuming the toilet would also class as a water point and therfore zone 2. It will be zone 3. Thanks
 
Contrary to common belief there is NO zone 2 involved with a wash basin.....

Does the circuit you are meddling with have RCD protection?
 
yes, the thermostat I am using has both options but I have opted to have a probe running from the unit to under the floor. I will need to make sure ( if fitted outside) that it is long enough to reach.
 
Hi Ian.settle1 - There is a probe that runs from the thermostat to under the floor. This means in theory the thermostat can be placed outside the bathroom.
 
Murdoch said:
Best you read Part P of the building regs....
Click to expand...

As stated in my first post. The reason I have asked on here is not because I am carrying out this work myself, ( I am a Landlord and know its not worth the risk) it is because I have had two electricians in that have given me two conflicting answers. Hence, I thought I would get an understanding myself so I can make an informed choice based on others knowledge. Thanks for your concern Murdoch but you can call the Regulation card on some other thread.
 
deanomc said:
As stated in my first post. The reason I have asked on here is not because I am carrying out this work myself, ( I am a Landlord and know its not worth the risk) it is because I have had two electricians in that have given me two conflicting answers. Hence, I thought I would get an understanding myself so I can make an informed choice based on others knowledge. Thanks for your concern Murdoch but you can call the Regulation card on some other thread.
Click to expand...

You've lost me.....

As a Landlord you will fully understand the need to understand ALL the relevant regulations and your duty of care towards your tenants...... which you have acknowledged.

As for your "conflicting" sparks advice - maybe get a better one who fully understands the regs?
 
I believe you where already lost.........

And how do you suggest I make an informed decision as to which electrician is better. Maybe flipping a coin or maybe by coming on a certain forum and asking other experienced electricians advice?
 
Both of your electricians could have been correct depending on the equipment and the installation dimensions .
Did they survey the job , or a fone interview?
 
ruston said:
Both of your electricians could have been correct depending on the equipment and the installation dimensions .
Did they survey the job , or a fone interview?
Click to expand...

Fair point ruston. They both looked at the job in person. I shall contact the guy who said it needed to be on the outside of the bathroom with some of this info to see if he has overlooked anything. Otherwise I will go with the electrician who says it can be put on the inside......although his quote was much more. Although, in my experience of tradesman this is usually an indication that they know what they are talking about :)
 
If it's worth anything I prefer them on the outside too (probe obviously). He was probably thinking of moisture attacking the stat ( controller ) if it is not ip rated.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I'll check the IP rating of the thermostat before phoning him. Maybe he noticed it was not suitable. cheers ruston
 
You are welcome. Even if it is , and it is likely to be; I still prefer them on the outside . The last one I fit the cover just clipped on, and did not inspire me with confidence.
 
One of the problems here I believe, is a misunderstanding.
To start with, there is no way anyone could really give advice as to where the thermostat or the FCU should be sited based on the information supplied in the OP.
Yes we can advise that there is nothing in the Regulations prohibiting them from being sited in a bath/shower room, but without knowledge of the type and rating of the equipment or the dimensions of the location, we can not give meaningful advice on anything else.
Then there is the intended purpose of the underfloor heating along with the function of the thermostat to consider.
Is the UFH intended to heat the location, of just warm the floor?
Is the function of the thermostat to control the heating up to a set temperature, or to prevent the UFH from operating above a set temperature?
 
Thanks spinlondon. Good point regarding me adding more information in the initial post, I shall take that on board for any future posts. The UFH will be used to heat the bathroom. It is a 200w/m2. The function if the UFH thermostat is to heat the room.
 
ruston said:
You are welcome. Even if it is , and it is likely to be; I still prefer them on the outside . The last one I fit the cover just clipped on, and did not inspire me with confidence.
Click to expand...

I concur. Although the thermostat and SFCU may, on paper, be suitable for use in a bathroom, the possibility of extended periods of high humidity mean that, if possible, I would site any electrical equipment outside the room, if only to prolong the life of the equipment.
 
Siting a thermostat other than in the place it is supposed to control the heating of, is pointless.
It would be like siting a dawn to dusk sensor in the USA to control street lights in the UK.
 
Unless you can tell us exactly which make and model number of thermostat it is then we are all peeing in the wind as far as advice goes.
I have fitted them both inside and out of bathrooms and suchlike, it all depends on the individual controller and its suitability for the location.

Some are just an air temperature sensor which connect back to a central control unit, some are stand alone battery powered units, some are mains powered, some are wireless, some are hard wired. Some are flipping dangerous wherever you install them.
It is really an open question at the moment.
 
davesparks said:
Unless you can tell us exactly which make and model number of thermostat it is then we are all peeing in the wind as far as advice goes.
I have fitted them both inside and out of bathrooms and suchlike, it all depends on the individual controller and its suitability for the location.

Some are just an air temperature sensor which connect back to a central control unit, some are stand alone battery powered units, some are mains powered, some are wireless, some are hard wired. Some are flipping dangerous wherever you install them.
It is really an open question at the moment.
Click to expand...

hit, nail and head spring to mind.

He hasn't answered the questions about the specifics of the bathroom/water / zones so we continue to guess
 
davesparks said:
Unless you can tell us exactly which make and model number of thermostat it is then we are all peeing in the wind as far as advice goes.
I have fitted them both inside and out of bathrooms and suchlike, it all depends on the individual controller and its suitability for the location.

Some are just an air temperature sensor which connect back to a central control unit, some are stand alone battery powered units, some are mains powered, some are wireless, some are hard wired. Some are flipping dangerous wherever you install them.
It is really an open question at the moment.
Click to expand...


The thermostat in question is a [h=4]Heatmiser Slimline-E[/h]
https://www.heatmiser.com/en/slimline-thermostat-series-2/
 
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Under Floor Heating thermostat - Inside or Outside the Bathroom?
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