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Yet another oddball question. New powder room and laundry room are both "enveloped" by the rest of the house, that is, they're surrounded by either by other rooms or hallways. In effect they form a kind of core on the 1st floor. Both have ducted ventilation and laundry room has a louvered pocket door. They're about 120 sq ft combined.
Question: is there any requirement or code that either of these small rooms be heated? It seems like they'd be fine since they're basking in the ambient conditions of the rest of the house. The reason I ask is that the original powder room was similarly enveloped by the rest of the house and it had a 3 foot baseboard unit - which as completely oversized for the room and made it absurdly hot. Yet somebody went to the trouble and expense of installing it.
What do your building codes state. Different areas of the country have different requirements/codes. You can call your city/county building inspector for the answer.
What do your building codes state. Different areas of the country have different requirements/codes. You can call your city/county building inspector for the answer.
A rather generic answer.
You could say that to half the posts on this forum and you'd be right every time. But then it wouldn't be very informative or interesting, would it?
Can you comment on common practices or even what they are in YOUR locality? I'm guessing you don't actually have anything useful to impart.
The register aside, how was the comfort of the bathroom before with the register off? I would say if it is a 1/2 bath then no one is going to be in there long nor in any state of undress (no bathing, shaving, etc.) so ambient heat (heat from areas surrounding the room) should make it comfortable especially if not staying in there long.
Was the register electric? If so, and if in doubt, you could always add a smaller one and only have it on during the coldest time of year. There are also small ceiling heaters (look like a ceiling exhaust fan) which could be used instead of any baseboard. Assuming an overhead light on a switch presently exists, it would be easy enough to snake the wires and install the heater with a wall switch.
Yes, the whole house (interior) is required to be heated,but, not each room is required to have its own heat source. You can have one single heat source as long as it is able to comply with the heat requirements of the entire interior space.
What do your building codes state. Different areas of the country have different requirements/codes. You can call your city/county building inspector for the answer.
Not really a true statement. The US is governed by a single code body called the International Code Council. States the adopt this code making revisions they feel are required, and then mandate cities, and counties whom may also make such said revisions. IE: Large cities like Los Angeles will have their own version, but smaller cities will be dependent on their state version. Bottom line, this standard is pretty much the same nation wide.
To the OP:
Here's the real answer.
SECTION 1204 TEMPERATURE CONTROL
1204.1 Equipment and systems. Interior spaces intended for human occupancy shall be provided with active or passive space-heating systems capable of maintaining an indoor temperature of not less than 68°F (20°C) at a point 3 feet (914 mm) above the floor on the design heating day.
Exception: Space heating systems are not required for interior spaces where the primary purpose of the space is not associated with human comfort.
Not really a true statement. The US is governed by a single code body called the International Code Council. States the adopt this code making revisions they feel are required, and then mandate cities, and counties whom may also make such said revisions. IE: Large cities like Los Angeles will have their own version, but smaller cities will be dependent on their state version. Bottom line, this standard is pretty much the same nation wide.
To the OP:
Here's the real answer.
SECTION 1204 TEMPERATURE CONTROL
1204.1 Equipment and systems. Interior spaces intended for human occupancy shall be provided with active or passive space-heating systems capable of maintaining an indoor temperature of not less than 68°F (20°C) at a point 3 feet (914 mm) above the floor on the design heating day.
Exception: Space heating systems are not required for interior spaces where the primary purpose of the space is not associated with human comfort.
A rather generic answer.
You could say that to half the posts on this forum and you'd be right every time. But then it wouldn't be very informative or interesting, would it?
Can you comment on common practices or even what they are in YOUR locality? I'm guessing you don't actually have anything useful to impart.
Play nice or Granny will hit you with a stick.
Lots of times things are grandfathered in. Our home in the PNW didn't have any heat except a wood-burning stove. Had to keep all the bedroom doors open, or got awfully chilly.
As wit-nit stated, get your locale's code if you are adding on/changing something. Sometimes when making a sale, you have to upgrade and get things to code, I think for the VA loans mainly.
Many old houses only have wall heaters in one room, so given that scenario, no, every room does not need to have its own heat source, depending upon where you live, of course.
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But then it wouldn't be very informative or interesting, would it? 
