Building Codes and Bathroom Heating

I don't know the code for your location. Heating the tank helps eliminate condensation, which can be a real problem in the winter. Some people use a thin layer of insulation, purpose made for in the tank, for just this problem.

Of more concern is the garbeled cursing you hear when the wife hits the cold seat. An infra-red source aimed at the toilet works good there. Don't worry about the plumbing inspector, unless he's sleeping with your wife.

Funny I have condensation problems in the Summer. The winter is no problem because the house is so dry.

As for heating the toilet, I have never heard of doing this but it sure makes sense.

Code or no code if you don't heat and the problem ensues what recourse are planning if the inspector visits during the repair?

Tell him to see my wife.

You could get one off those Japanese heated toilet seats

http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2006/02/heated_toilet_s.html

This idea may not help with the heating problem..........but, it may reduce the time spent in there:-

Mobi-stop it now! It's not fair! I was in an automobile accident a month ago and broke my sternum! I was doing fine until I saw your post! Ouch! Damn it!

Hope you don't mind-I saved the photgraph to the hard drive. Thanks for the laughter-however painful! I am sure to enjoy it more in a few weeks. I think this is the funniest thing I have seen in long time.

Best Regards,

Ing. Robert Forbus

Here Chief................don't complain............they say that laughter is the best medicine

Sorry about your prang.........I really hope that you are on a swift road to recovery.

Cheers

Yep..............something like that!!!!!!!

Heat in the toilet? Just exactly how far above the Arctic circle do you live???

Run a HOT water supply line from sink to toilet tank .

Styrofoam toilet seat. Should keep the cheeks from freezing to the seat.

an electric toilet seat shouldn't fall into any building codes, since it's just a plug in device like an electric heater or a stereo. (Unless it's actually hard wired, in which case it will fall into the electrical code.)

Where do you live that you need this?

Don't know about code, but don't heat it so much you melt the wax seal under the drain.

You think your wife screams and curses now with a cold toilet seat, wait until she puts her foot into dirty water leaking out of the gasket.

As usual, there have been some interesting and entertaining answers, but I think we have missed the original intent to the question. I, too, would like to know about preventing a toilet from freezing. I am planning to build a workshop which will not be heated all the time and I would like to put a toilet in the shop. Is there a heating method within code to prevent freezing (other than keeping the heat on low or draining the water)?

Bill

There are, or was until reciently, an electric toilets seat that plugs into a regular outlet, (well regular if you're in Canada or the states 120V) It doesn't violate any codes that i am aware of, and it simply heats the seat using heat wire built inside the seat.

If your worried about the actual pipes freezing there are many heat trace products on the market that do the same thing. Plug in and wrap around the pipes.

Check this out. http://www.brondell.com/index.php You will never have a cold toilet again. Quite reasonable and easy to install.

I am not sure, seems to go against common logic.....

Electricity + Water + Ass = FAIL

LOL

For those whom are comfortable on the pot

Simple minds = simple solutions. A friend of mine plumbed in a toilet and mistakenly hooked the HOT WATER pipe to the supply. After two flushes, the bowl is nice and steamy; very nice on a cold day! I'm sure some luxury company has a heated seat but anyone familiar with OHM's law could make himself one. Just don't use 120 or 240 for the element!

It's a common practice in northern climes during winter, eliminates plant maintenance and worth every cent of hot water costs.

I think we're missing the point of Mr. Guest's question. I will try to interpret:

Toilet (in this sense) = bathroom

Toilet (as taken in the forum) = commode, water closet, crapper, porcelain throne, etc.

As I interpret the question, I think the code is so the pipes don't freeze. In the case of our guest there would be no reason to install heating in the toilet (bathroom) if the pipes are insulated sufficiently to prevent freeze damage. If code enforcement is extremely rigorous where you are building this, you might just speak to the code enforcement people and find out if your installation is ok...or just build it...sometimes it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission...

It's not always better, but it's easier for sure.

Actually heating the area which houses the water closet may annul a code requirement.

Caution in this area with regards to water freezing in the toilet and the toilet breaking from the effect of expansion.

If it is a problem with the toilet freezing, as DAG suggests............I have the answer:-

Yes that's it..........a long drop toilet...........doesen't matter if it freezes!!!!!!!

WARNING:- Watch out for these pesky things

Redback spiders love outside toilets (Do you remember the song "There's a redback on the toilet seat")

Oops!.........Sorry..........I forgot you don't have them over there, do you. E-mail your address and I will send you some..........I should be able to find a few in my back yard, or shed.

Haven't seen any in the house lately, but they do venture in sometimes.

At least there is an antivenin for their bites now. I believe that they are related to the American Black Widow.

We don't have red backs here but at -37°C ambient air your eyelids can freeze shut when exposed, use your imagination about what else can freeze shut

.......I guess so bwire............one could crap until it clogs, then saw it off for logs!!!!!

By the way I only read about those temperatures..........I get cold in winter when occasionally it gets down to 1⁰C early in the morning...........if I don't have a class I roll up at work at about 1000...........mind you the boss never says anything, because he knows how much work I do at home in the evenings and on weekends.

This is especially since some rather radical course changes have been made to courses that I currently teach............and I have to have a new 16 week course ready by January..........and from August 10 to mid December I have one week when I will not have a class, all other days I will be teaching 7-8 hous/day...................What was that about retirement........for the third time????

"Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save" Will Rogers, Autobiography, 1949

I'm at a pre-retirement phase. I have three or four jobs but not all the time at each when one decreases another increases. Work is a thing done between times when no work is needed.

In the part of Europe where I live it is almost universal to have central heating radiators in all toilets and bathrooms. My Californian friends both North and South (I have friends? Well, so it appears) have air-conditioning vents in their toilets - which provide heat in the winter.

If, on the other hand, it is electrical heat you are asking about, you just need the appropriate isolation and/or insulation on anything that can be reached. Again, infra-red bars at high level are quite common.

If in doubt about what is allowed, ask in your local builders merchant what can be done. Even if the store staff don't know, chances are that there'll be a knowledgeable builder passing by (particularly if you go in very first thing in the morning (their time) when they go to collect) and they are often helpful

If between us we haven't yet answered your question, please provide more details of what you mean.