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scrappy25

Is a 3 season porch considered a damp location per code?

scrappy25
11 years ago

Our 3 season porch will have EZ Breeze vinyl windows- is this considered a dry or damp location by electrical code? I will need floor outlets since the walls will not have any room for outlets.
thanks

Comments (8)

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    Open to rqin and moisture from outside?

    Likely damp.

    Upward facing receptacles are NOT a good idea in such places.

    Consider tombstone position along the walls.

    How thin are the walls?

    Boxes are available down to 1.25 inches deep.

    If it is because you will not have an interior wall, then damp rated cable or even EMT conduit (with wet rated conductors) may be what you need to consider.

    You can paint EMT to blend it in.

  • bus_driver
    11 years ago

    If the windows will have mullions between them, receptacles could be there in surface mounted boxes with conduits coming from the ceiling. That would keep everything off the floor. Receptacles up to 5 1/2 feet above the floor meet code requirements for the required receptacles.

    This post was edited by bus_driver on Mon, Dec 10, 12 at 22:05

  • scrappy25
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    what is EMT? thank you both for your help. I also emailed the maker of sillites (which can be purchased with floor receptacles) and they sent me this link of a discussion regarding outlets in screened porches, which was helpful> I then called my electrical inspection office which verified that a screened porch that was enclosed would have to have gfci protected outlets but was not necessarily a wet location. They suggested getting a "planning" electrical inspection once the framing was in to show the inspector where the planned outlets were and to get his blessing beforehand. They cautioned to be sure to permit it as a PORCH and NOT as a 3 season room since a 3 season room was regarded as living space and would have to follow the full code for living space.

    Here is a link that might be useful: discussion of outlets in a screened porch

  • yosemitebill
    11 years ago

    "They cautioned to be sure to permit it as a PORCH and NOT as a 3 season room since a 3 season room was regarded as living space and would have to follow the full code for living space."

    Wow! My faith in humanity has been restored!

  • cappo11
    11 years ago

    I have a 3 season porch and my sparky used all wiremold (steel) products on it. Looks really good compared to conduit

  • scrappy25
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hmm, I din't understand yosemitebill's comment at all. Why is that quoted comment surprising?

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    An AHJ gave her an 'out' to a whole lot of requirements.

  • ionized_gw
    11 years ago

    I suspect it is taxed at a different rate too!