I noticed in a new home I recently bought in Ontario that I have a
bathroom outlet that was installed in the wall that is also the wall
to the outside. Now in the last house I had, I asked the builder to
do this but he said that it was against code to do that. So why is it
this builder can now install a wall outlet on the wall that is the
outside wall as well ? Is there a violation of the code by installing
a wall outlet on a outside wall ?
Thanks.

"car crash" wrote in message
ups.com...
I noticed in a new home I recently bought in Ontario that I have a
bathroom outlet that was installed in the wall that is also the wall
to the outside. Now in the last house I had, I asked the builder to
do this but he said that it was against code to do that. So why is it
this builder can now install a wall outlet on the wall that is the
outside wall as well ? Is there a violation of the code by installing
a wall outlet on a outside wall ?
Thanks.

???? Why on earth would code care about an outlet in an outside wall? IMHO,
previous builder was BS'ing you. At what point in process did you ask for
outlet? If walls were already closed in, and electric rough-in already
inspected, he probably just didn't want to mess with it. Calling a
electrician back in to snake one wire, especially if he had to fish it,
would have cost him several hundred bucks, possibly more than he thought he
could get you to pay for it.

aem sends....

Never install an outlet on an exterior wall if you live in an area
prone to outdoor freezing. The reason is that the wires will freeze
in winter.

In article ,
mm wrote:

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:08:49 -0500,
wrote:

Never install an outlet on an exterior wall if you live in an area
prone to outdoor freezing. The reason is that the wires will freeze
in winter.

And the electricity will be cold, and less powerful.

No, it will be more powerful. Right around absolute zero, the wires will
become superconductors. You should be able to run 150 amps or so on some
26 AWG wire. That's why you can't put an outlet on an exterior wall; the
wire is too fine for the poke-in springy thing to grab.

car crash wrote:
I noticed in a new home I recently bought in Ontario that I have a
bathroom outlet that was installed in the wall that is also the wall
to the outside. Now in the last house I had, I asked the builder to
do this but he said that it was against code to do that. So why is it
this builder can now install a wall outlet on the wall that is the
outside wall as well ? Is there a violation of the code by installing
a wall outlet on a outside wall ?
Thanks.


Just a guess: When you put an outlet on an outside wall you are
penetrating the vapor barrier on the inside-house side of the insulation
and reducing the insulation at that point. Both are undesirable.
Breaking the vapor barrier can allow humid inside air into the
insulation where it can freeze and produce both thermal and water
problems. A bathroom could be a particularly bad source of humid air,
although the air only has to have a dew point higher than the outside
temperature. The penetration can be sealed with a plastic box that goes
behind the electrical box and seals to the vapor barrier and wires.

You could ask a builder and repost - inquiring minds want to know.

--
bud--

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:08:49 -0500,
wrote:

Never install an outlet on an exterior wall if you live in an area
prone to outdoor freezing. The reason is that the wires will freeze
in winter.

Frozen electricity can be kept for up to 2 years. However, if it thaws
it should be used immediately.

According to bud-- :
car crash wrote:
I noticed in a new home I recently bought in Ontario that I have a
bathroom outlet that was installed in the wall that is also the wall
to the outside. Now in the last house I had, I asked the builder to
do this but he said that it was against code to do that. So why is it
this builder can now install a wall outlet on the wall that is the
outside wall as well ? Is there a violation of the code by installing
a wall outlet on a outside wall ?
Thanks.


Just a guess: When you put an outlet on an outside wall you are
penetrating the vapor barrier on the inside-house side of the insulation
and reducing the insulation at that point. Both are undesirable.
Breaking the vapor barrier can allow humid inside air into the
insulation where it can freeze and produce both thermal and water
problems.

Canadian building codes require that boxes installed in exterior
walls MUST be properly sealed to the vapor barrier. This is often
done by "bagging" the box in a chunk of vapor barrier, and when
the sheet vapor barrier is installed, they puncture it over the box,
and the edges of the box bag are pulled thru and tuck-taped to the
sheet. There remains only some small penetrations where the cables
were punched thru the "bag".

They also make plastic boxes with "vapor barrier" tabs on them
for the same purpose.

Other than that, there are no unusual restrictions on interior
outlets/switches mounted on the inside of exterior walls.
--
Chris Lewis,

Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.