Bathrooms are noted for being moist due to the amount of water produced in this part of the house. Whether it’s the toilet, sink, or shower, each source can produce water and even spread it into the air.
This is why you will want to know, is a bathroom considered a damp location?
Bathrooms are considered a damp location similar to indoor pools and saunas. The purpose is to determine whether or not damp-rated fixtures are necessary. These are moisture-resistant and can continue to function without seeing a drop in performance.
If you are choosing lighting fixtures for the bathroom, it’s important to make sure they are damp-rated.
A lot of steam is produced when you take a hot bath or shower. This is the same steam that will then spread onto other fixtures inside the bathroom including the lighting.
The best course of action is to make sure most of the features are moisture-resistant.
This article will take a look at why bathrooms are damp locations and how this determination is made.
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Reasons Bathrooms Are Damp Locations
1. Multiple Water-Producing Features
You will want to start by looking at the water-producing features.
This can include the bathroom sink, shower, jacuzzi, and/or toilet. A lot of bathrooms will have all of these fixtures and each one has a different source of water.
When this happens, the bathroom is eventually going to become full of excess moisture. To combat this, it’s best to run the bathroom exhaust fan as it will suck out the moisture quickly. However, this doesn’t mean the bathroom isn’t damp-rated.
Just due to the water being produced and spread into the bathroom, it will always be a damp location.
The best thing a homeowner can do is begin working around this problem. For example, it is highly recommended to take the time to buy damp-rated lighting for the bathroom.
This will go a long way in helping reduce the stress that is put on these fixtures to maintain performance and longevity.
2. Constant Exposure to Steam
Let’s assume you get into the tub and start taking a hot shower.
This is something people will do every day and each time the steam will spread everywhere. When steam is in the air, it is immediately going to turn the bathroom into a damp location.
The entire purpose of steam is for hot water to spread into the air as it reacts to the room’s temperature.
This is why constant exposure to steam is a wonderful example of why bathrooms are noted for being damp locations in the house.
3. Enclosed Space With Water
Not only is the shower going to produce steam but it is also going to be doing it in an enclosed space within the house.
You are not going to have a lot of open space inside the bathroom and a small window won’t suffice for the most part.
Even a bathroom exhaust fan is not going to cut it.
This is why you want to take the time to learn more about damp-rated bathroom fixtures to avoid having sitting moisture ruin them later on. These are preventative measures that do go a long way in keeping each fixture safe in the bathroom.
4. Water Spreads Through The Air Regularly
You will also want to take a look at how water spreads throughout the air.
You don’t want a situation where there is too much water in the air that is then sitting on various surfaces inside the bathroom.
You will want to account for this moisture as much as possible.
This includes taking the time to keep the bathroom exhaust fan running in the background to the best of your ability.
As long as you do this, you can manage the dampness in the bathroom. However, damp-rated lighting fixtures are still a must.
Final Thoughts
Is a bathroom considered a damp location?
The bathroom is considered to be a damp location and demands damp-rated lighting fixtures. It’s best to invest in bathroom-specific lights to ensure they perform well and last for a long time. The reason bathrooms are damp locations has to do with their water-producing features such as toilets, sinks, and showers.
These are the main reasons why a bathroom is a damp location in the house.
Your best course of action is to keep this in mind and make adjustments along the way. This includes turning on the bathroom exhaust fan from time to time.
This will help get rid of the excess moisture as soon as you want it to.
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