An increasingly popular lighting choice, a bathroom chandelier can add a note of elegance to the right bathroom. The popularity of chandeliers in the bathroom, however, doesn't mean you can run down to the local lighting store, buy the first chandelier you like and slap it up above the tub. Common sense and local regulations dictate otherwise. Here are a few things to consider before installing a chandelier in your Roswell home's salle de bain.
Is Your Bathroom Big Enough to Accommodate a Chandelier?
A bathroom with a low ceiling or that leaves little room between the tub or shower and the nearest wall is not exactly the ideal space in which to install a chandelier. A larger bath with ample floor space and a high ceiling is more appropriate and suitable for a chandelier. Part of the reason for this is aesthetics; the other part is building and electrical codes. Although potentially variable from municipality to municipality, building codes are designed to ensure that you are safe in your own home. When it comes to bathroom chandeliers, building codes generally dictate that the light fixture has to be at least eight feet above the highest edge of the bathtub, according to the ASHI Reporter. This is why a bathroom with a lower ceiling will typically not work for a chandelier. In addition, the typical codes also require a pendant-style light fixture like a chandelier to be at least three horizontal feet from the edge of the tub, which is why a bathroom with ample square footage is best in such situations.
Choosing Your Bathroom Chandelier
Clearly, you will choose a chandelier that suits your tastes. But you need to take some other things into consideration when picking out your light fixture. Once you've decided on the aesthetic you are trying to achieve, you need to look at the size of the chandelier in the context of your bathroom. How high are your ceilings, and how low will the fixture hang? You need to provide ample headroom for people to comfortably walk into and use your bathroom. In addition, you are installing the chandelier in a damp - potentially wet - environment. Be sure to choose a fixture rated by Underwriters Laboratories, or UL, to withstand such conditions. Failing to do so could result in a tripped circuit breaker, a short circuit or even electrical shock to you or a member of your family. Such a chandelier will be constructed tightly, in a manner that prevents moisture from getting into the wiring and other components of the assembly.
Is your wiring appropriate?
In a bathroom, whether you install a chandelier or not, all wiring and outlets should be equipped with ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). An electrical system that is GFCI equipped - as any bathroom should be - will help to ensure your family's safety by cutting the current any time the sensors detect an unsafe condition. If you don't know whether your bathroom is currently equipped with GFCIs, contact a professional electrician. She can help you figure out if your bathroom is up to modern standards, as well as help you choose and install the bathroom chandelier that is right for you and your home.
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