Bathroom Window?


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More of plan review question than CA. I can't decide if I should put a window above this tub. If I were making it fixed glass makes no sense since I would think people would want to reach up and open weather permitting? Person would need to be tall. 

 

Just wondering what your clients would prefer on average in a spec home? This in a energy efficient design so just another window I got to deal with but, on the other hand I want it to be appealing to the general public. Windows are my worse enemy but at the same time people love their windows. I'll have an exhaust fan I can point them to. 

 

I don't have any options for moving the walls or getting a different shape out of this bathroom to get the window in I can see anyway. I have another interior bath without a window so not sure how big a deal it is. 

 

What would you do? 

 

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Looks odd up that high, and nobody is going to climb up to open it, unless quite tall.

Another option is not to use the surround uni-tub and tile. Then you could put it at a better height, it would be functional, and let in more natural light.

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I would talk clients out of that window just from a safety standpoint. Cleaning it would require a ladder in the tub!! As Robert said, a solar tube would give them natural light.

If the surround was tiled you could lower the window to a more reasonable height and possibly have it work with a tile sill.

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It’s pretty common to put a 3010 XO window above a fiber glass shower unit in my neck of the woods. They sell them in stock at Home Depot with obscure glass. The problem with the window above the shower is that vertically challenged people can’t open it without a step stool. I prefer a window in a bathroom because the exhaust fans don’t work very good to get the steam out. That’s why when a window is preferred I try to sell a customer a tile shower verses a prefabbed unit so we can lower the window.

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Looks odd up that high, and nobody is going to climb up to open it, unless quite tall.

Another option is not to use the surround uni-tub and tile. Then you could put it at a better height, it would be functional, and let in more natural light.

 

I'm thinking the same thing hassle opening and closing even using a awning is a safety hazard. If the weather is nice like CA less opening/closing ok. Are you suggesting drop the surround and go to tiling the same area in which case I can still have a tub/shower I need? Are you saying then I'd drop the window into the tiled area? It's still sitting over a tub perhaps partially buried in tile, and would require reaching but that may be a compromise other than water/mildew getting all over the window....I have that situation in a old house being rehabbed and the wood sill gets rotted perhaps solved by FG. I wonder if the window is worth it? I'd want it but who knows what ppl want. 

 

I'm trying to keep envelope penetrations to a min, not sure if they make a solar tube exhaust fan I'll search. 

 

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Casement windows are good since the latch compression seals the air off. Think I'll  model it up with FG window and tile around window so it looks pretty ;)

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I have seen too many moldy bathrooms, and they should have a window where possible. Now that codes require an exhaust fan in a toilet compartment ,and  where a shower and tub are, it should take care of the problem but some people just don't turn them on. Next they will require them to be on an occupancy sensor.

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Those glass bock showers are SEXY! I'll hire you Joey to show me how when I get there ;).....This is a baby boomer bathroom SOG for grandma's suite bathroom of the home. Not sure the glass doors compliment work in the MB since perhaps at that age they don't want to see each other taking showers? ;) Eeeek! Glass blocks what R-5? Never going meet passive house standards which more codes are coming, like IECC. Someone needs to make a argon or krypton filled block hybrid with an window opening in the middle, U values in the low teens, variable SHGC.  

 

I have a toilet compartment in the MB did not know I need a fan there too. We in hillbilly KS are so far behind the US we just adopted IRC 2012 from IRC 2006 skipping a cycle and everyone is TOTALLY confused especially IBC. Hope it's a So CA thing. Common the door is only closed a while this is not commercial where employees take long breaks in the pooper reading the newspaper. Gaud, they need one in every stall in some. ;)

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A tightly sealed modern house with a window in a shower area.  This could cause some future repair of window and even the framing.  On the other hand, people don't place future long term maintenance very high on their list of must haves.  Therefore, on a spec house, I would put the window in as shown.

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A tightly sealed modern house with a window in a shower area.  This could cause some future repair of window and even the framing.  On the other hand, people don't place future long term maintenance very high on their list of must haves.  Therefore, on a spec house, I would put the window in as shown.

 

Interesting how we design crap in the US and clients could care less about all the recent hype , Sustainable this and that, blah, blah, blah.....when most people sell in less than 5 since they have a balloon or variable, since they got talked into more house than they can afford. 

 

The most accurate models are out of Germany with two decades of data back calibrated to WUFI. The only potential issue with it is ASHRAE 160 material mold data, accurate climate files, and user inputs......you really have to know what you are doing. I'm waiting for an answer from ASHREA now on when 160 will be fixed, they are saying early next year. ORNL has a limited WUFI_USA free version. PHPP_US, has been incorporated into WUFI Plus which cost ~ $2000 USD. I'm sure a window in a shower/tub would fail the dynamic Hygrothermal model. A static or manual J model that is not very accurate could careless and show a bad, good. 

 

I'm thinking people put about as much value on healthy buildings as sustainable in this day and age but, I think that will change in time. I'm taking it to the bank anyway :)

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Anyway, the interesting part is the standard we use to buy windows in the USA fails to take into account mold and the hygroscopic issues WUFi IDs. What a mess! Be nice if CA put up some red flags in the wall type/integrated fenestration's DBX. In time CA will need to get together since autocad/others are on the ball. 

 

http://www.aamanet.org/upload/file/CMB-5-08.pdf

 

There is a green building GBXML IIRC CA needs to xport to these CFD files I cannot find. Free Sketch-up is used for zones and has the files, go figure! In other words, I cannot import my CA model to WUFI I have to recreate zones in goggle SU. CA also needs to import to BIMS, it is just a matter of time b4 competition eats CA for lunch :)

 

Recent WUFI US/ PHPP_US had to pretty much rewrite the book due to all the layers/material interfaces we use AND most do not understand. 

 

Dont get me started on PHIUS cert cost a builder $5-10K for undefined nothing! http://www.phius.org/home-page  I guess someone got the bright idea we are German capable and could make some $$ on it? The GC national training happens in certain states once a year and a HERs rating is not going to cut the mustard.  Crap by the time we get it figured out and certified I and others will have it done. O, and I can submit at that point for $5K to get their worthless cert. The price we pay for bragging rights ;)

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Yes to a window. I really try to avoid this situation and not place showers/tubs on the outside wall but sometimes you just have to. What I suggest is to flip the toilet and vanity location. I prefer to have the vanity closer to the entry and this will move the vanity cabinet away from the moisture of the shower.

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Yes to a window. I really try to avoid this situation and not place showers/tubs on the outside wall but sometimes you just have to. What I suggest is to flip the toilet and vanity location. I prefer to have the vanity closer to the entry and this will move the vanity cabinet away from the moisture of the shower.

 

Excellent idea I have seen alot of rot in time at the side adjacent to the tub. 

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We do that all the time here.   30-10 or 40-10 fixed.

I dont know about you, but I dont know many people that actually open a window in a bath for ventilation even if there is a SH or DH easily accessible.   We have turned into a climate controlled society.

 

Anyway, we do that all the time, and the light provided is great.   Just dont forget to raise header to clear the top of most surrounds ;)

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You could change your space like the attached image.  At the very least I think you have your toilet and sink location reversed,  toilet normally is between sink and tub.

In a 5' wide bath, even the smallest standard tub (30") only leaves a 30" walk in front of tub area.  (not something I would want as it would feel very tight).

 

Many tubs people are now using come out 34", which chisels out that space even more.

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To add to what TomKen said, I further that to point out that you are needlessly creating two wet walls, and no idea how you plan to get proper DWV through that 4" wall. (see attached)

 

Tiled tub/or shower, and right window will present little problem and be functional for light and ventilation if you desire.

post-489-0-24238600-1450581945_thumb.jpg

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In a 5' wide bath, even the smallest standard tub (30") only leaves a 30" walk in front of tub area.  (not something I would want as it would feel very tight).

 

Many tubs people are now using come out 34", which chisels out that space even more.

You are correct whenever I have a layout like this,  I will make the bathroom 5'6"-6' Wide,  Steal a few inches from the adjacent rooms.   But your question was about a window over a tub, Yes you can do it but I prefer not to,  I was just offering an alternative.

I work from home and often I will get fixated on solving a problem a certain way,  sometimes I need to step away from a project for awhile or I need a little push from an outside source to help me rethink my approach.

 

Cheers

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