Thread: bathroom door rules

Is there a code that requries the bathroom to have a door or privacy door. The first picture shows the master bedroo from the entry door. There is no door to the bathroom. The second picture shows the toilet from the opening. Thanks in advacne.

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Is there a bedroom door?

If so, the only code which applies is the code of common sense.

If that ... what looks to be reed hanging ... is the "door", then there will not be any privacy for either the bedroom or the bathroom.

The reed you see is to the closet door. The first picture taken was from the entry door to the bedroom. So I guess common sense was not so common here. I could see my wife using that bathroom (never in a million years)

(Hard to judge in the pic, but the clearance at the far side of the toilet looks awfully tight...)

I am thinking/remembering that, although not in the building code, it was in the health code that a bathroom/toilet area had to have a door, either being a "bathroom door" for the entire bathroom or a "toilet room door" for the toilet room within the open bathroom.

That would mean that the toilet room area would need a door being as that bathroom does not have one.

Sanitary reasons.

Michael,

Your are correct. There is only 12 inches of clearance fromt he shower door to the middle of the toilet.

Thanks Jerry. That puts an interesting twist on how to write this report. Also makes for interesting conversation.

Bill

Here is the solution to those installations, should have thought of it sooner as it is so obvious:

No door to the bathroom AND no door to a separate toilet room means that as far as "environmental air" goes, the bathroom/toilet room/bedroom are one and the same, and, as such, ...

From the Florida Building Code, Residential (but the same applies to the IRC for other states). (underlining and bold are mine)
- SECTION M1602
- - RETURN AIR
- - - M1602.1 Return air.
- - - - Return air shall be taken from inside the dwelling. Dilution of return air with outdoor air shall not be prohibited.
- - - M1602.2 Prohibited sources.
- - - - Outside or return air for a forced-air heating or cooling system shall not be taken from the following locations:
- - - - - 1. Closer than 10 feet (3048 mm) from an appliance vent outlet, a vent opening from a plumbing drainage system or the discharge outlet of an exhaust fan, unless the outlet is 3 feet (914 mm) above the outside air inlet.
- - - - - 2. Where there is the presence of flammable vapors; or where located less than 10 feet (3048 mm) above the surface of any abutting public way or driveway; or where located at grade level by a sidewalk, street, alley or driveway.
- - - - - 3. A room or space, the volume of which is less than 25 percent of the entire volume served by such system. Where connected by a permanent opening having an area sized in accordance with ACCA Manual D, adjoining rooms or spaces shall be considered as a single room or space for the purpose of determining the volume of such rooms or spaces.
- - - - - - Exception: The minimum volume requirement shall not apply where the amount of return air taken from a room or space is less than or equal to the amount of supply air delivered to such room or space.
- - - - - 4. A closet, bathroom, toilet room, kitchen, garage, mechanical room, furnace room or other dwelling unit.
- - - - - 5. A room or space containing a fuel-burning appliance where such room or space serves as the sole source of return air.
- - - - - - Exceptions:
- - - - - - - 1. The fuel-burning appliance is a direct-vent appliance or an appliance not requiring a vent in accordance with Section M1801.1 or Chapter 24.
- - - - - - - - 2. The room or space complies with the following requirements:
- - - - - - - - - 2.1. The return air shall be taken from a room or space having a volume exceeding 1 cubic foot for each 10 Btu/h (9.6 L/W) of combined input rating of all fuel-burning appliances therein.
- - - - - - - - - 2.2. The volume of supply air discharged back into the same space shall be approximately equal to the volume of return air taken from the space.
- - - - - - - - - 2.3. Return-air inlets shall not be located within 10 feet (3048 mm) of any appliance firebox or draft hood in the same room or space.
- - - - - - - - 3. Rooms or spaces containing solid-fuel burning appliances, provided that return-air inlets are located not less than 10 feet (3048 mm) from the firebox of such appliances.

1) Thus, as configured, return air IS NOT ALLOWED to be taken from that combined area, whatever name is applied to it.

2) Thus, as configured, return air IS REQUIRED to be taken from that combined space as there is a door which closes off the bedroom from the rest of the house.

It is impossible to do both 1) and 2) - therefore that arrangement DOES NOT MEET CODE, and CANNOT MEET CODE *as configured* with no door closing off the toilet area.

There is the answer: Install a door for the toilet room. Not only is it common sense, but it is also the only way to meet code even though code does not specify a door is required there.

From the title of the thread I figured you walked in a client taking a leak today.

I'm just curious.... can anyone shed some light on what the potential liability would be with the lack of a bathroom door? Aside from the cost of a door if someone really complained? I suppose maybe some crazy woman could want you to pay for her therapy from having to watch her husband go 'number 2' but, seriously, isn't there a point where we just inspect what is there?

Originally Posted by Matt Fellman

but, seriously, isn't there a point where we just inspect what is there?

Matt,

Yes, and write up what is not there which should be there.

And what is there that should not be there.

You do that, ... right?

Master baths are considered private and do not require a door, like that in a hall way that would be considered the guest bath which would require a door. Just common since.

Of course, my statement is overbroad and there are plenty of things that get written up as missing (bollards, shingles, etc) but I stop short of trying to live in the house for the people.

Originally Posted by Matt Fellman

Of course, my statement is overbroad and there are plenty of things that get written up as missing (bollards, shingles, etc) but I stop short of trying to live in the house for the people.

I knew that, like pointing out when a toilet room needs to have a door, those kinds of things.

That is not living in the house for the people, that is pointing out that there is a problem, but Bill first had to figure out what the problem was, other than 'That just does not *look right*.', well, as it turned out, not only did 'That just does not *look right*.', it was also 'Not Right.', see my code reference above.

Thus, Bill *was right to question it*.

Originally Posted by Tony Mount

Master baths are considered private and do not require a door, ...

Either the bathroom does or the toilet room does, and that had neither. That was the problem - there was *neither* door.

We've sure come a long ways since we lived in the woods and just pooped right in front of each other

From the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code

503.1 Privacy.

Toilet rooms and bathrooms shall provide privacy
and shall not constitute the only passageway to a hall or
other space, or to the exterior. A door and interior locking
device shall be provided for all common or shared bathrooms

and toilet rooms in a multiple dwelling.

The way it reads to me is that a door is not required to toilet rooms or bathrooms if not a multiple dwelling, (SFR).

On a side note:
Go to the bathroom in an Airport, Mall, Civic center...
No door at the entry, the only door you may have is the door on the stall.

I saw a house that had plastic accordion doors with a magnet for all interior doors.

I recall that some years ago, there was a requirement for a privacy lock on either the master bathroom or the master suite / bedroom. At least one had to be present. I don't know where I read that, but, I am still conscious of it and look for it when I inspect. I also do not recall the last time I did not find it present.