Bathroom ZONES FOR ELECTRICAL ITEMS
Australian building codes have strict requirements concerning the placement of electrical products and sockets. When you install or replace an exhaust fan in your bathroom, you need to be aware of these requirements. Of course, if you are working with an electrician, then they will already be familiar with the rules. But if you are sourcing the product yourself, or planning the layout of your bathroom, then knowing what you can and can’t do will help you choose the best product to suit your needs.
More About the Shower Cubicle
Zone 1 also includes a 1200mm radius around your showerhead. As you can see in the following example with the showerhead at 2 meters high on a 2.4 meter ceiling this also means that a majority of the ceiling needs to also be covered by a product appropriate for use in this zone.
Our advice is to consider either an inline fan or roof mounted fan if you wish to have an extraction point directly above the shower. Both mean that the motor would be located safely away from the ceiling so you do not have to worry. We have a wide range of inline fans and also great looking accessories to go with them (including modern intake vents). A great starting point is to take a look at our pre packaged inline fan kits.
Inline Fan Example
Showing 2 intake points
Some other practical bathroom advice
When considering bathroom lighting it is advisable to always look for something with an IP rating even if it is going into an area that does not belong to any of the zones. This is because excess steam and moisture can be present, with a light fixture that is not appropriately sealed (especially LED) this could cause problems with condensation forming within the unit.
This guide purely looks at Electrical safety, to read an article on optimum positioning for an exhaust fan functionally take a look at this blog post.