Are Floor Sockets Allowed?

[Wiksey]

Looking at a house that has floor sockets installed in a few rooms (tiled kitchen floor, living room and hobby room).

Is this allowed in a domestic install at the latest regs?

Thanks

Wiksey

 

[Lurch]

There's nothing that specifically says not. There's nothing that specifically says yes either though, so as long as they are suitable for the environment....

 

[Doc Hudson]

Assuming they are proper floor sockets not wall sockets fitted to the floor? There are situations in domestic where a floor socket is the only option, such as a conservatory with an all glass wall coming down on a side where a socket is needed. A floor socket in a domestic installation is no worse than a wall socket or a garden shed socket or outdoor socket, providing the correct type of socket is selected.  

Doc H.

 

[Wiksey]

Thanks for the responses guys.

The floor sockets are all proper floor sockets with sprung covers. I was asking as I've not come across them in a house before (I used to work in a large office so very used to them in that environment, just not as an electrician). Apart from the obvious of them not being between 450 & 1200mm having a floor socket in a tiled kitchen floor concerns me - how do you clean tiles without water ingress?

 

[ProDave]

The height is a building reg thing, not a wiring reg thing. So on a rewire completely irellevant.

Even on a new build. it is only "general purpose" switches and sockets that have to stick to those heights. you can fit a dedicated socket for a special purpose at any height, probably the most common example these days is a socket high on the wall for a wall mounted tv.  If building control kick up a fuss, stick a label on it "vacuum cleaner only" and it's no longer a general purpose socket.
 

 

[Doc Hudson]

 Apart from the obvious of them not being between 450 & 1200mm having a floor socket in a tiled kitchen floor concerns me - how do you clean tiles without water ingress?

The height guidelines refer to wall mounted accessories, however I would be inclined to agree that a floor socket in a kitchen, on a floor covering that is likely to have liquids used on it during normal cleaning procedures is not a good idea. The selection of materials and chosen installation location, fails to take account of external influences by the sounds of it..

Doc H. 

 

[Wiksey]

Thanks for the extra replies guys, very helpful.

 

[Lurch]

You don't need to clean floors with gallons of water being sloshed about.

 

[Dairyspark]

You don't need to clean floors with gallons of water being sloshed about.

Some people do lol

 

[Tony S]

You don't need to clean floors with gallons of water being sloshed about.

Some people do lol

Hhhmm, I've just employed a cleaner. I can't touch, or breath on anything without getting my ear bent. Floor sockets wouldn't stand a chance.