I'm not an electrician but I think the main difference between sockets in this the bathroom and kitchen is that in the kitchen your whole body wouldn't typically be wet so you're not as conductive.
Plus you are a lot less likely to be barefoot in a kitchen. Shoes act as insulation. Also, there is GFCI in the UK. Just not in individual sockets; ALL the house is covered by GFCI in the panel itself. GFCIs reduce the risk of electrocution, but it's not enough, this the bathroom regulations.
Lol, the pull cord in the bathroom is there so you aren't touching any conducting material whilst turning it on/off. Shaver sockets etc are of a lower voltage all because of the danger of water. The kitchen has its own regulations, equipotential earth bonding etc on pipes, stainless steel sink etc. Distances sockets should be from the sink etc etc etc.
@@Ga11ifreyan isn’t the outlet in the light a modern installation with a ground wire? …. I think it depends on whether the cables and fuses have been replaced when they installed the modern light. ….and normally it’s mandatory to let installation accepted by an examiner. Especially in British houses who are mostly attached to another houses. What in case of a fire would be catastrophic. Am I wrong?
keep in mind that a lot of houses in London are more than 200 years old, so you cant compare them to modern homes, thats why the toilets are in a seperate room
Most people have knocked them into one bathroom by now, but saying that my father in laws bungalow built in the 1970s has a seepage loo and bathroom, so you still have to go to the bathroom to wash your hands. Washer dryers apparently take ages for the clothes to dry, so if you have multiple loads of washing it’s going to take forever. Our voltage is a lot higher than you have, now by law your light switch for a bathroom has to be outside the room. Separate taps look a lot nicer.
Having the toilet separate from the bathroom has obvious advantages: if the bathroom is occupied by one family member, the toilet is still available for use by others, therefore reducing the risk of being "caught short". Many houses were purpose-built on housing estates in the UK between the 1920s and 1950s with the toilet separate from the bathroom so this is not just a hangover from the days of the outside loo at the bottom of the yard in 19th century terraced dwellings. There's no imperative to have bathing and waste excretion in the same room other than the fact that a wash basin is needed for the loo so that hands can be washed straight after and the basin is often much more compact than the one in the bathroom. In my childhood, mid last century, it was consider higher class to have them separate (our house didn't).
Separate washers and dryers are better than a combined single machine. Please remember these comparison presentations are only general. There are so many different home styles. Hot and cold taps, you just get used to it, it's normal. The electric outlets in the kitchen are away from the sink. Electric razor outlets may be in some bathrooms, it's just a safety thing. Again it's what you are used to.
Well no they are arent they are generally more expensive to run but a washer dryer is a space saver you couldnt for example have a washing machine and a tumble dryer in the kitchen she was in given she had a dishwasher and under counter fridge on the opposite side again space is king especially in Uk houses and modern builds are even worse because builders go for the built in appliance route which means you need to go for the same type if anyone of them are finally broken and cant be repaired and you can just drop in a replacement because sometimes they are a bespoke size from a single manufacturer.
The washer-dryer machines have been around in Europe for a long time. My hairdresser has one for lack of space because of the towels, and a friend's company also has one. But you rarely find them in private households here in Germany, but that has other reasons. Most households here have the option of putting the washing machine in the bathroom and if you want/need to, you put a dryer on top.
Agreed; We used to have one and it was a nightmare as the dryer could only handle 40% of the Washing load max. So although you could automatically switch from Washing to drying, if you did that you'd need to do far more washing. The alternative was to do a full load, then remove 60% of the load in order to dry the 40% you could fit in. Its possible they are better now
Hi Ryan. FYI UK power supply is 240v and in the rest of Europe it is 220v therefore electrical goods are 230v (or can run on both +/- 10v) otherwise it would be a pain in the ass. Either way it is significantly more dangerous than US 110v so HSE regs are stricter - If you touch 240v it makes your hair curly. UK houses are protected by RCD Consumer Units (residual current device) I think they are similar to your gfci (ground fault….). Part of my house is over 300 years old and the rest is around 200 years - Modifying the house and accounting for the fact it is a listed building has been tough, expensive and taken a very long time (so far 20 years and a work in progress) but the character and atmosphere is amazing
It's not significantly more dangerous. It's not the volts that kill you. It's the amps. And it only takes 50 milliamps to kill you. And U.S. electrical outlets have a lot more amps then that. Plus other countries have 230 volts outlets in the bathroom with no issues either. The simple fact is that the UK is just behind the times on this issue.
@@GalaxyFur A current of as little as 0.007 amps (7mA) across the heart for three seconds is enough to kill. 0.1 amps (100mA) passing through the body will almost certainly be fatal. However, the current involved in an electric shock is determined by the voltage and the resistance of the circuit. The human body has an inherent high resistance to electric current, which means without sufficient voltage a dangerous amount of current cannot flow through the body and cause injury or death.
You have shown the answers to most of the questions you asked in previous videos you have reacted to. Just one point not many homes have outside sockets we tend to use extension leads from inside sockets or use cordless electric tools outside.
I'm in London and space is at a premium. I have a washer/dryer machine in the kitchen, but either dry the 'smalls'/plus other items on a retractable line or on clothes dryers in the bathroom. On 'dry' days they will get hung outside on clothes lines.
We have mixer taps in the kitchen sink and the bath but not in either of the hand basins in the bathroom or the downstairs loo. Easy solution to the temperature thing : put the plug in and mix the water in the basin. In my house the hot water takes a few moments to come through so you can do most of what you need with just the hot tap.
Additionally, the third long prong on UK plugs needs to be shoved in with quite some force. It is longer and goes deeper into the socket. All it does is unlock the holes for the two remaining prongs which actually conduct electricity. This, combined with the on and off switch, makes plugs incredibly user friendly for families with children that might try and poke a knife or fork into one of the holes.
That third prong isn't only for opening the shutters. On a non-earthed device (when that prong is made of plastic), that is its general function; its primary purpose however, is to provide a route to Earth for safety. Earthed devices will have that prong made of metal. It provides direct grounding for the device so that in the event of a fault, residual electricity will be directed down the mains cable and through the socket; rather than having electricity pass to any unsuspecting person that touches the faulty device.
Australia and New Zealand both have 240v power and have outlets in the bathroom. All outlets are switched. There are outside outlets too (handy for plugging in a fridge or stereo on your patio) Many houses have at least 1 separate toilet from the bathroom which is good if u want to use the loo while someone is taking a shower
I love in a suburb, and my house is new compared to most other homes because it was built in the 90s. We have three bathrooms, one downstairs, one ensuite and one normal one on the landing. Three bedrooms, a living room, front room, kitchen and dining room and a utility room. Although the utility room we built after we bought he house by extending the kitchen space into the garage. Plus we have a conservatory. Our taps are with one faucet, we have the bathroom switches outside the bathroom same with plug sockets. Although most houses do have washing machines and dishwashers in the kitchen. The houses in the UK and the floor plan are very very varied depending on the age and size of the house, and whether or not it had any conversions done by previous or current owners.
That was a quick one. We turn both taps on to get right water temperature with the plug in of course. I love our sockets much safer. And not all kitchens are that small though as you can see some are.
I enjoy these videos so much! And I just got my student visa yesterday, so I'm going to be binging all the UK videos to get me ready! These videos are so fun!
In Australia we have sockets in the bathrooms (240V), and separate laundry rooms with washer and dryer in most houses- although we only use dryers if we have to, most of us hang the washing outside.
I have had a washer-dryer in my flat since 1984 so it's by no means a new invention. Admittedly, the drying is not as effective as a single function tumble dryer but it's good enough if you live in a small house and have to make compromises due to space limitations.
Most windows in the UK open outward, so screens are very rare... But then we don't have a bug problem most of the time, especially up on the first floor (which is one floor up from the ground floor).
Most homes are decades or hundreds of years old so moving the plumbing and electrical is difficult.Most older homes don't have screens and must be made to order unless your windows open outwards.A/c is too expensive because of energy prices
Except it's not the volts that kill you. It's the amps. And it only takes 50 milliamps to kill you. The reason the UK doesn't have outlets in the bathroom is just becuse the UK is behind the times. Other countries have 230-volt outlets in the bathroom. And it's no issue for them.
In Finland our bathrooms (usually a shower and place for washingmachine and toilet) are "wetrooms". Wet seal under the tiling and the the outlets must have a residual-current relay. If you short the outlet, the relay flips to off. And quite often these rooms with a shower are adjacent to a sauna!
Hello, In Spain we have sockets inside the bathroom but they have to be instaled over a 1'30 m from the floor and relatively far from the basin. All the lights fixtures have to be far from the shower and the light switch outside the bathroom. The kitchen sockets have to be far from the sink too. The kitchen and bathroom are considered "wet rooms" and the relay switch off if you overload the sockets. Here it's more common to have a "lavadero" (a room or nook that usually it's attached to the kitchen but separated from the place where you prepare food by a door) with a sink and a washing machine or a combined wash&dry one. If the space is big, you can have a separated dryer machine, but we usually have a clothes line on the community terrace or in our balcony. If the lavadero (translated "laundry room") is bigger you can have the clothes line there, but it's very unnusual because we have relatively good weather (plenty of sunny days) to dry them outdoors. Some houses/flats have big bathrooms and have there the washing machine if they don't have the laundry room. It's rare but we can see it there too. I've seen washing machines in the kitchen near the place where you prepare food (like in the video) in really tiny flats: it's the only place available.
Regarding hot and cold taps, what do you think the basin with a plug is for, put the plug in and run hot and cold until you have the correct temp, wash hands, when finished pull the plug out, simple really!!!
Not every house has a separate toilet. I live in a Victorian terrace & the bathroom has a toilet. Our light switch is outside the room & we have a socket below that. Also a lot of people do have separate washers & dryers.
The house I rented before the the one I bought and live in now was around 105 years old and was built as an industrial workers house. These houses originally never had central heating or and inside toilet. The toilet was originally located in a separate building down the garden or in an extension on the back of the house known as an outhouse. Baths were taken in a tin bath beside the fireplace in the living room. Houses were heated by having a fireplace in multiple rooms. This is the reason why, if you now go inside one of these houses you find many bricked up fireplaces and toilets that are not part of the bathroom. Central heating and inside toilets and bathrooms were later additions and so you find that at some time in their history the floor plan has changed. The internal walls have been moved. Often making the original bedrooms smaller in order to make room inside the house to create a small bathroom and toilet. What you have to remember is that in the US many houses are wood and are around twenty years old. They are quick and cheap to build. Whereas in the UK houses are almost always brick or stone and it's common to live in a house over 100 years old, a time when we didn't have any of the technology we have today. Therefore US home tend to incorporate new tech at the time of construction and where this is also true in newly built British homes, those are few in number, most are older homes which pre date most of the tech and so have had to be adapted and converted. It is much more time consuming and more expensive to construct British homes so demolishing the old and constructing new is not an option. There's also often protection and preservation orders in buildings here in the UK. This means you can only do certain things to the building as the owner. Often because of the buildings age or it's links to history so it has to be preserved. You can't just do what you like as an owner of a listed building. This is just a consequence of being a country with such a long history.
😁Here in Germany they say when someone buys an old house >> Be careful that the monument protection does not have its foot in the door, otherwise it will be expensive
Washer-driers are not that good in my experience. The device you held up has a European plug. The sockets in the bathroom thing is because even if you put waterproof sockets in the bathroom, you're still going to be using an appliance such as a hairdrier and the opportunities for accidents with the high humidity and wet bodies is high, as is the voltage. Having been electrocuted using a shower in Peru, I'm totally down with the regulations in the UK and do not want to rely on a circuit breaker to keep me alive no matter how sensitive they are. Only the lack of window and door screens bothers me here but I've fitted some myself, so no problem. Our house is more than 250 years old, by the way. No-one can tell us the exact date it was built.
It’s a letter box. The Washing machine is in the kitchen unless you have a utility room also the tumble dryer is the kitchen unless as previously mentioned. Washer/dryers are not good if one part of it washer or dryer side goes down the machine is out of action, washer/dryers have being around for a long time. An outlet in Britain is where you can buy designer clothing etc cheaper.
Fixed light switches, heat lamp switches, exhaust fan switches, and power sockets are common in Australian bathrooms, but there are regulations on how far away they need to be from water sources. The outlet type is also regulated, depending on how close it is to a water source.
True but many are (mine included and my neighbours) and there were many more last century. New builds are getting smaller and smaller over time if the stats are to be believed. Developers try to cram as many as they can, cheek by jowl, onto the limited number of plots available for building and local authorities have government-imposed targets for house-building which they are obliged to meet.
I live In the countryside in a 200 year old house which was originally farm barns which were converted into a house around the 1970s . The outside walls are approx15” thick and made of brick and flint and trying to put a nail on any of the walls to hung a picture is a major project. You need to use an electric drill! The rooms are quite large but none of the bathrooms have sockets and the light switches are outside the bathroom doors. And they have mixer taps. The washing machine and drier are in the utility room but I prefer to dry the clothes in the fresh ai when it is not raining
Our light and socket switch positions are the opposite to in the US; when the upper half of the switch rocker (most common type) is pushed in, that's "off". For a dolly switch, the distal end of the dolly is up for "off". An exception to this is the two-way switch, whereby the switches can be in any positions to turn the circuit on or off.
The water and tap thing is because in older British homes, which is a large % of the total homes, they were originally constructed with a storage tank in the loft or attic of the house that stored water ready to fill your hot water boiler. This top tank often had no lid and could sit for days becoming stagnant and things could fall in the water and contaminate the water. Though this contaminated water would do nothing to hurt a human bathing in the water, it could if accidentally consumed, cause water borne diseases such as cholera and lead to death. It was therefore made a legal requirement to separate the hot and cold water supplies. A cold water tap supplying cold water direct from the mains deemed as clean and fit for human consumption and then a separate hot tap drawing it's water from the hot water boiler which in turn was supplied from the top tank in the attic which was classed as fit for bathing in but not fit for drinking. It's another quirk as a result of history, in this case creating the requirement to keep hot and cold water separate in order to prevent illness and possible death by accidental consumption of contaminated hot tank water. As children we was often taught, when getting a glass of water to drink, to let the water run a while before filling the glass.
The adapter you had as an example looks like a 'global' to US adapter. I have a similar one for 'global' to UK (3-pin). As I travel a bit, I have a few UK to 'continental' (schuko type F) adapters. Switzerland has a sort of narrow hexagon shape so you need a different adapter, if the hotel does not have schuko sockets. New Israeli builds seem to have schuko, but also have their own 3-pin. we're mostly 50Hz/220V.a.c. International chargers for phones, laptops & tablets will work as they can cope with the different frequencies.
I'm from post-Soviet country and we all have washing machines in our bathrooms, sometimes in a kitchens too. Usually it depends on how big is your bathroom. I have small bathroom but I really hate when it's in kitchen so I squeezed it in my bathroom (i sacrificed bathtub - removed my bathtub and installed shower and in extra space installed my washing machine with special sink above it). It's really convenient 🤗 Also we too have separate bathroom and loo or in old houses they're together (unfortunately I have them together in my apartment, it's really convenient when they're separate)
The voltage in UK homes is almost twice that in the USA. Bathrooms are on average a small sized room most times being the smallest room Not having plugs in the bathroom is due to health and safety because the moisture in a bathroom is higher than that in a kitchen Also plugs and kitchen appliances have high standards of safety in the UK
We have plugs and sockets in our bathrooms in Australia… even in the cold and in the extremely humid areas… we also have mandatory earth leakage protection for every outlet in the house, which stops any accidental zaps from occurring.
@@SilvanaDil higher standards with relating to plugs and sockets, Grenfell Tower also had the issue of cladding and the electric fault that started the fire was inside the refrigerator not due to the plug or the socket. For plugs look at Tom Scott's vid British Plugs Are Better Than All Other Plugs, And Here's Why
You sometimes find shaver sockets in the bathroom, which deliver the full 240 volts, but hidden away, out of sight, is an isolating transformer, so there is no route to Earth, and that removes the risk of electrocution. A kitchen would not normally be full of water vapour, which a bathroom might be, and generally you are also not wet from head to toe.
The current in the USA is 110 volts whereas in the UK it is 240 volts which can be dangerous in damp and steamy bathrooms which is why we do not have electrical outlets there except for pull light switches or shaver points. In the kitchen the plug sockets cannot be close to a sink. We have switches so we can turn off the switch before unplugging or leave the plug in and turn off the switch.
I've used those washer-dryers in an apartment in New Zealand and they suck! They wash adequately but they are useless at drying! Separate machines are way better.
2 ways to get warm water. 1 turn on the taps and put in a plug to get warm water. 2 turn on hot water put your hands under it while it's cold then add soap and by the time you've lathered up it will have warmed up. Then wash the soap off.
ELECTRIC STANDARDS One of the reasons that UK uses 240v is that means less current = less heat = can use thinner wires = less copper = cheaper wiring without increasing risk of fires. Higher voltages does mean higher electrocution risk, hence various additional mandatory safety measures. But from what I hear there can be substantially more electrical fires in the USA as when there is a wiring fault your higher current means lots of heat and therefore fires. Plus so many of our houses are built pre 1990's that electrical trip switches were just not available. Not mentioned is, I believe, USA appliance plugs do not have fuses in them?
The voltage of electric sockets and appliances in the UK is 240v AV., as opposed to the 120v D.C. used in the US. An electric shock at 240v alternating current can and does kill instantly; hence the more stringent safety rules in the UK.
Been living abroad for 25 years and sockets next to sinks totally freak me out and I forbid everyone to use the hairdryer next to the sink. It’s terrifying.
Most homes in Britain are old, well kept, but old. Light switches on cords are therefore not that unusual, especially in rooms such as bathrooms, basements, attics and walk-in cupboards. Outlets in the bathroom are not permitted due to steam and condensation from hot water (bathing and showers). Imagine you just had a hot bath and washed your hair so now you grab the hair drier (which has a damp plug due to condensation) and plug it into the wall socket - - - hey presto! Remember the wiring in old homes is likely to also be older and plugs not GFCI, or whatever that was . . . . . In the kitchen the doors and windows are generally open and therefore no condensation!
🤣🤣🤣 what I love is in kitchen you have all the water devices from sink to dryers but have power point for kitchen appliances Here in Australia where more like you guys either in bath room or a room of its own for washing machines Yeah our older properties have separate dunnys modern homes have Dunny in bathrooms
Most houses in the UK have the washing machine and dishwasher ( if your fancy) in the kitchen....because that's where the water and drainage is. We don't use washer/dryers...unless you're rich....as they are very expensive here. If you go to Spain, they will have the washing machine in the bathroom. Our electricity is way more powerful than in the US, hence no plug sockets in the bathroom. Outside sockets have to be protected from the weather in a plastic casing. Bathroom...the clue is in the name !!
I have a washer not a washer/dryer but as my kitchen is tiny the tumble dryer has to go in the bedroom. No, we don’t have outside sockets, I think those are illegal still. Sockets in bathrooms has always been illegal in the UK. Our normal 3 pin sockets were introduced in 1948 to replace the older round pin sockets. The house I grew up in had them but my grandparents had the older type. None of them had switches on then, I remember when Dad had the house rewired to add more sockets (you used to only get one per room) they’d had switches added by then. I loathe mixer taps. I’ve one in the kitchen but, fortunately, both the downstairs loo and bathroom sink have separate taps. I’m 67, so was taught to wash my hands by filling the sink first but I’ve always washed them under a running tap and I use the method shown here swishing your hands between hot and cold.
We have RCB breakers which are very similar to GFCI. The issue is that the breaker is a single point of failure that you are relying on to save your life from 240v at 30amps (i.e. instant death) UK regs rarely rely on technology alone for safety. The regs do allow sockets in the bathroom, but they need to be 2+ meters away from the basin or loo. Most UK bathrooms are not that big.
This video shows apartments built before every household had their own toilets etc. Im from finland, and in the old center of Helsinki you can find apartment buildings built back when private toilets/baths were public, one toilet per every few apartments or so. My friend was living in an old apartment in the centrum, and he had his toilet seat in a small closet next to the main door, and if you wanted to wash your hands, you had to go to the kitchen/living room, and there, he had another closet with only a shower. these types you can find a lot in small apartments throughout any cities with old buildings. I used to have one too, my bathroom/toilet was so small that when I took a shower, I had to sit on my toilet seat. And of course throw toilet paper etc out while taking a shower so they don't get wet.
My first house was over two hundred years old built without a bathroom it had a toilet at the end of the back yard. I had a kitchen built on and added a bathroom upstairs taking space of the two bedrooms this is common in the UK in many towns with rows of terraced houses
Of course, if you've got separate hot and cold water taps, you fill the washbasin/sink with hot and cold water, the plug (not an electrical one!) firstly seated in the plug hole, so you then have standing water to wash in. It's more hygienic as you don't need to touch a tap to turn them off after washing. Note that plugs in the washbasins in public toilets are often missing as some rapscallion has stolen them (I know; why?); the solution is to bung the plug hole with some toilet paper or a paper towel.
Because of how strong the current is the UK 240 volts have always been safety concerns with electric and bathrooms. However around 15 years ago a student was killed whilst in her rented flat. That student's father was an MP (lawmaker) and he introduced even more strict safety rules and more training and regulations for Electricians
HI RYAN DEBRA HERE FROM SOUTH WALES UK Our hand basins come with a little invention called the basin plug, which you place in the hole of the basin to stop the water running out and each run tap of water until the optimum temperature is reached and then hey presto you can wash your hands and faceabd then remove the plug to let the water run out
In Australia it's mostly called a toilet. If you came over and asked for the bathroom we would likely know you meant the toilet or ask if that's what you wanted. Kitchen laundry is wired to us too. Cords from ceilings rare but in old houses that haven't been renovated, same with the taps. But we have plugs in the bathrooms.
How do you survive having power sockets in the bathrooms like most Europeans too, while Brits fear to death being killed directly when there is some steam in the bathroom?
in the Uk the washers & dryers are either in the Kitchen or Utility Room. The Pullcord lightswitch in the Bathroom is semi-standard, the more normal these days is the lightswitch is outside of the bathroom.
In france washing machine are usually in the bathroom, there's even a special socket for it and pipes for it. But we do have multiple sockets in the bathroom
Most modern installations have combined hot and cold water taps. IN any case a hot water supply can be set to a hand tolerable hot level so you don't need to swop between hot and cold water. However cold drinking water is actually safer from a dedicated or flushed source - hot /warm pipes host bio-film bacteria that can cause stomach illnesses, like vomiting or diarrhoea, if they are swallowed. But these germs can also cause illnesses of the lungs, brain, eyes, or skin. This is why you should not drink water while showering. Washer dryers don't need to be switched to dry mode, its usually just part of the cycle. For some reason she didn't mention dish washers. Loos are often combined with the room containing a bath but some homes have 2 with 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs.
Washer dryers sound like a great space saving idea- and they are in small homes- but are not very efficient to run. Plus it means you can only do one load of washing at a time, rather starting off second wash whilst the first is drying. If their home has any outside space, Brits ae more likely to dry their clothes on outdoors lines or airers than put them in a dryer. The hot/cold taps. No-one actually moves their hands between the two as she demonstrates. Most hot water is cool enough for handwashing, without needing any cold water. We don't have window screens as we have fewer and smaller bugs than in parts of the US.
In the bathroom you can be coated with water and touching electrical outlets chance of zapp.. in the Kitchen the chances of you being coated with water is slim, thats what the sink is for to catch the water, so we dont waste water, we generally dont have outlets Outside, the rain we use long extension leads
If you ask to meto use the "bathroom" I will show you where the toilate is. As I would be mortified if a guest of mine just randomly takes a bath when they call over.
re: socket/outlet placement: For modern-build kitchens, there are normally dual sockets (now with USB!) at the back of the kitchen counters - kettle, toaster, food processor etc. Probably some behind the cabinets at a lower level for the washer/drier, dish-washer (not common in UK homes) or built-in units. However, electric ovens would have a separate breaker . other rooms would probably have the outlets at floor level for vacuum cleaner, standard lamps , TV/Media kit. I like the idea of having the washer/drier in the bathroom/toilet area and have seen this overseas in apartment rentals, but it's not common GB. It's just that, our houses are very very small compared to US & Aus/NZ - you have more space. (not NY apartments obvs.)
If you want warm water you run both hot and cold at the same time and use the plug. Most homes have the toilet in the bathroom...older places may have a separate room.
Socket outlets can be fitted into the bathroom but the regulations state that the socket must be a minimum of 3m away from the bath or shower. Most UK bathrooms are not large enough to allow that. I've been an electrician for over 40 yrs and have never seen or fitted a 13amp socket in a bathroom. In the kitchen, sockets should be a minimum of 300mm from the sink.
The true reason for double taps, is that previously by law every home had to have a large cold water storage tank .This was to supply (non drinking water) for baths and toilets ect, and save on the number reservoirs needed. To wash your hands, you put the plug in and part fill the basin. This is to save the amount of water used.
I used to have a cord pull light, but I have a switch that's outside the bathroom as you go in. These days there aren't many houses that have separate toilet & bath we do have them combined, plus we do know have mixer taps. When she moved her hands between the two taps, why didn't she fill the sink, she'll have the right temp then. Not everyone has outlets outside either, but the no electric outlets on the bathroom for safety when we have them near water in the kitchen, I never understood that either & from the UK.🏴
I'm not suggesting that this is at all the usual thing but we have our washing machine in the bathroom because that room is abnormally big and has the bath at one end and the laundry area at the other. Our drier is mounted in the garage near our outdoor clothesline where we dry most of our laundry, only using the drier in periods where the weather makes outdoor drying impracticable or to fluff up towels at the end of a drying day.
The main reason for more “ safety” regulations is that the UK has a much higher voltage than in North America. The voltage there is 240 V, compared to the US 120 V. Getting electrocuted there is REALLY getting electrocuted. It’s also the reason there are on/off switches by the outlets .
6:50 in modern uk homes now like mine you can just get a hot and cold tap but it comes out in the same place and for the bathroom plug sockets apart from charging an electric razer what would you need one for?
American washers and dryers are far more effective and just generally work better than UK washers/dryers. U.S. dryers not only have the full temperature range options as their UK counterparts, but they often can get even hotter if you so choose. Separate units always work better than any combo unit.
In Portugal the washing machine is also in the kitchen. Maybe it is because the old kitchens, before the washing machines, had a place to wash the clothes (don't know the english desigation), and then the washing marine Took its place. That happens in my parent's house.
I have a washer dryer, but don't use the dryer too much as I like to hang out on the line. The ,laundry smells so good, and no chemical scents needed. This winter I am trying to to use the line even more, as energy costs are expected to be exorbitant.
No screens, no outside taps, no room for separate utility rooms or cupboards for machines. Washer dryers have been around for several decades all over the world, not just UK
America use Gsci in bathrooms. In the UK all electric outlet are covered by this device. Lights Power outlets Electric cooker and electric heater are all covered by a single device, located on the fuse board 😉
Bathrooms in Germany usually have a toilet, and washdryers are common in Europe, we have european brands and asian brands, sometimes american brands too
Many people in the UK dry their clothes on a line outside if they have the outdoor space. It's cheaper (free), better for the environment and the clothes smell nicer.
In the UK, to comply with code, you should not be able to touch any water source and an outlet (socket) in a kitchen. Bathrooms are another thing, to comply with code it should not be possible to make contact with a water source and any electrical equipment including a plastic wall light switch, hence the cord or the lights switch is outside the bathroom.
7:15 an Euro Plug. up to 2.5 Amps 230 Volt. It fits into the plug systems in France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Russia and many Asian countries. Russia has the worst plug systems without grounding. But not in UK and India. But you can also force the Euro Plug into British sockets. Round plugs into rectangular contacts. That is not in accordance with any regulation.
You'd survive a 110v shock, but 240v less so. Hairdryer dropped into a bath full of water mmm no thanks. The 3rd pin on the plug is longer and depresses a safety cover inside the socket, so as no live parts are exposed. It also acts as an earth in many cases. BSS British Safety Standard Separate taps simple, put in the plug and mix in the bowl. Saves water.
In the uk our electric sockets take 240 volts. In America yours is much lower. In our kitchens the outlets legally have to be a certain distance away from the sink. Some houses have separate toilets to the bathroom itself. Also not every bathroom has a bath most of the times these days it’s a shower.
The sockets in bathroom issue, yes we have sockets in the kitchen and outside, yes we have circuit breakers I think the difference is you rarely immerse yourself in water in the kitchen. Basically I agree, I think UK rules are there to prevent poor/bad installations which could be dangerous, much easier to know a socket in the bathroom is not to standard. The water temperature, hand washing, each sink has a plug, you fit it and mix the water in the sink, this also results in less waste of water. The Washer/drier is great but not as practical as you might hope; they are expensive, they often don't dry as well as a drier, the maximum load for drier cycle is normally half that of the wash cycle. They are useful if that's the space you have available. Most UK houses have a letter box (flap) in the front door, I would guess about 99%.. Many bathrooms have toilets, if not the toilet is often (normally) the next door (given the pipe work), rules on switches and sockets do not apply to toilets. Modern houses will have a toilet on each floor (newish building regulations).
If you have hot and cold taps separately and you don't want to do the hot cold hot cold hand dance you can put in the plug. In practice though, it can take so long for the hot water to reach the basin you have already left the room.
Some houses do have laundry rooms. Some bathrooms do have the toilet in them. If you put the plug in the basinand you turn the taps on you get the water to the temperature you like. Because of the laws the sockets in the kitchen have to be away from the kitchen sink. Yes we do have outside sockets but they are ugly and the law regarding sockets in the bathroom have not been changed. One annoying fact about light switches into the bathroom if you don't have pullcord the switch is on the outside of the bathroom, which is annoying but you get used to it.
Just a bit left field, I lived in Scotland 🏴 & I was doing some gardening (digging) & I couldn’t find one bug 🐞 🐛🪲 I even looked under rocks & no bugs. 🇦🇺🐨
Hi. Remember it could be dependant on voltage differences in USA. Most of our electrical differences are to do with safety. My experience with the bathroom - If you have a separate toilet, then someone else can use it while you splash about in the bath. Finally, I think in Europe, they're slightly closer to your way of doing things - two pin plugs, and the likes. More emphasis on showering rather than sitting in a bath tub.
We have isolater switches for items in the kitchen and outside and strict rules and regulations, the basin is in the bathroom and loo you normally have a loo these days in the same room as a bath and or shower, we're used to two taps but all you do is put the plug in the sink which is what we call it in the kitchen or the basin and put the water in from both taps. We have varying sizes of houses don't forget many of ours were built long before the States as we know it now was even thought of, we don't tend to put electronic items in cupboards, they are normally built in wardrobes and airing cupboards, depending on the age and size you might still have wardrobes freestanding and chest of drawers, and if we want screens on the windows we'll install them ourselves, but again if it's a listed building you have to go through hoops to change anything, look at graded buildings and homes and what we can't do, something you likely don't have over there
5.26 yes. Pure logic. Bath room . For a bath Why? When you poo and pull out real stinky one you can still go bath right away without any negative smells. As far as I'm aware those are separate in eastern Europe , by standard. Also you can poo happy while your Kate baths in separate room. Donno just makes more sense.
The UK has twice the voltage and uses a ring main not a direct feed. RCDs are fitted to the distribution box. And every electrical device is also fused, but even then relying on a safety feature in daily life is questionable. A bathroom with a bath or shower steams up, steam can land in any surface and condense electrifying a wall if the temperature drops rapidly enough... Winter in the UK it can drop rapidly enough! What's your addition to electricity in a bathroom, historically here women had dressing rooms or at least an area in the bedroom with mirrors and the usual stuff needed...
In Sweden we most often have bathroom with toilet and washing machine. There are strict regulations about electricity and plumming in Sweden because of safety. In a lot of houses= homes there also is a separate toilet for guests.
According to the UK's Consumers' Association, washer-dryers have a reputation for breaking down. A friend of mine got one despite my warning him and, sure enough, it stopped working after about a year and he replaced it with just a washer. It's best anyway to not put all your washing eggs in one laundry basket, to paraphrase the saying. Washing machines in bathrooms is common on the European continent. I've heard a number of Americans say they don't like front-loaders as they develop smelly mould that has to be cleaned out. The thing is, though, the door of the machine is supposed to be left ajar when not in use; if you do that, there's no mould, smelly or otherwise. Contrary to popular belief, there's no ban on having normal electrical wall sockets and light switches in UK bathrooms; however, the average UK bathroom is too small to accommodate the regulatory distances between sockets/switches and water fittings and fixtures. Part 'P' of the Building Regulations covers it.
I'm not an electrician but I think the main difference between sockets in this the bathroom and kitchen is that in the kitchen your whole body wouldn't typically be wet so you're not as conductive.
Plus you are a lot less likely to be barefoot in a kitchen. Shoes act as insulation.
Also, there is GFCI in the UK. Just not in individual sockets; ALL the house is covered by GFCI in the panel itself. GFCIs reduce the risk of electrocution, but it's not enough, this the bathroom regulations.
She showed a socket in the bathroom, the one in the light. there you can plug a hair dryer or whatever.
ua-cam.com/video/A1YjFhzqQVw/v-deo.html
@@charity4ever No you can't, you'll fry the electrics. An electric shaver or toothbrush ... nothing bigger.
Lol, the pull cord in the bathroom is there so you aren't touching any conducting material whilst turning it on/off. Shaver sockets etc are of a lower voltage all because of the danger of water. The kitchen has its own regulations, equipotential earth bonding etc on pipes, stainless steel sink etc. Distances sockets should be from the sink etc etc etc.
@@Ga11ifreyan isn’t the outlet in the light a modern installation with a ground wire? …. I think it depends on whether the cables and fuses have been replaced when they installed the modern light. ….and normally it’s mandatory to let installation accepted by an examiner.
Especially in British houses who are mostly attached to another houses. What in case of a fire would be catastrophic.
Am I wrong?
keep in mind that a lot of houses in London are more than 200 years old, so you cant compare them to modern homes, thats why the toilets are in a seperate room
modern house recently build in the netherlands, still no toilet in my bathroom :) , 1 bathroom , 2 toilets.
my friends house is so old that his toilet is outside
There's a RAT in sepaRATe!
Most people have knocked them into one bathroom by now, but saying that my father in laws bungalow built in the 1970s has a seepage loo and bathroom, so you still have to go to the bathroom to wash your hands. Washer dryers apparently take ages for the clothes to dry, so if you have multiple loads of washing it’s going to take forever. Our voltage is a lot higher than you have, now by law your light switch for a bathroom has to be outside the room. Separate taps look a lot nicer.
Having the toilet separate from the bathroom has obvious advantages: if the bathroom is occupied by one family member, the toilet is still available for use by others, therefore reducing the risk of being "caught short".
Many houses were purpose-built on housing estates in the UK between the 1920s and 1950s with the toilet separate from the bathroom so this is not just a hangover from the days of the outside loo at the bottom of the yard in 19th century terraced dwellings.
There's no imperative to have bathing and waste excretion in the same room other than the fact that a wash basin is needed for the loo so that hands can be washed straight after and the basin is often much more compact than the one in the bathroom.
In my childhood, mid last century, it was consider higher class to have them separate (our house didn't).
Check out Tom Scott's videos. He gives an excellent analysis of British taps and British plugs and the reasons why the designs have stuck around.
In Germany the washing machine is usually in the bathroom, unless you have a big house, then there is a separate room.
Separate washers and dryers are better than a combined single machine.
Please remember these comparison presentations are only general. There are so many different home styles. Hot and cold taps, you just get used to it, it's normal. The electric outlets in the kitchen are away from the sink. Electric razor outlets may be in some bathrooms, it's just a safety thing. Again it's what you are used to.
Well no they are arent they are generally more expensive to run but a washer dryer is a space saver you couldnt for example have a washing machine and a tumble dryer in the kitchen she was in given she had a dishwasher and under counter fridge on the opposite side again space is king especially in Uk houses and modern builds are even worse because builders go for the built in appliance route which means you need to go for the same type if anyone of them are finally broken and cant be repaired and you can just drop in a replacement because sometimes they are a bespoke size from a single manufacturer.
I Love my Samsung this 6 years
The washer-dryer machines have been around in Europe for a long time.
My hairdresser has one for lack of space because of the towels, and a friend's company also has one.
But you rarely find them in private households here in Germany, but that has other reasons. Most households here have the option of putting the washing machine in the bathroom and if you want/need to, you put a dryer on top.
Agreed; We used to have one and it was a nightmare as the dryer could only handle 40% of the Washing load max. So although you could automatically switch from Washing to drying, if you did that you'd need to do far more washing. The alternative was to do a full load, then remove 60% of the load in order to dry the 40% you could fit in. Its possible they are better now
Hi Ryan. FYI UK power supply is 240v and in the rest of Europe it is 220v therefore electrical goods are 230v (or can run on both +/- 10v) otherwise it would be a pain in the ass. Either way it is significantly more dangerous than US 110v so HSE regs are stricter - If you touch 240v it makes your hair curly. UK houses are protected by RCD Consumer Units (residual current device) I think they are similar to your gfci (ground fault….). Part of my house is over 300 years old and the rest is around 200 years - Modifying the house and accounting for the fact it is a listed building has been tough, expensive and taken a very long time (so far 20 years and a work in progress) but the character and atmosphere is amazing
220V and 240V was in the past (1994). Now we all have 230V in Europe (even the UK).
@@reinhard8053 Thanks for letting me know. Every day is a learning day. 👍
And why do Brits fear to get killed, while most European enjoy having power sockets in their bathrooms?
It's not significantly more dangerous. It's not the volts that kill you. It's the amps. And it only takes 50 milliamps to kill you. And U.S. electrical outlets have a lot more amps then that. Plus other countries have 230 volts outlets in the bathroom with no issues either. The simple fact is that the UK is just behind the times on this issue.
@@GalaxyFur A current of as little as 0.007 amps (7mA) across the heart for three seconds is enough to kill. 0.1 amps (100mA) passing through the body will almost certainly be fatal.
However, the current involved in an electric shock is determined by the voltage and the resistance of the circuit. The human body has an inherent high resistance to electric current, which means without sufficient voltage a dangerous amount of current cannot flow through the body and cause injury or death.
You have shown the answers to most of the questions you asked in previous videos you have reacted to. Just one point not many homes have outside sockets we tend to use extension leads from inside sockets or use cordless electric tools outside.
It's not only in Britain, in Portugal is also common to have the washing machine in the kitchen
same here in Bulgaria
Huh? I've never seen a washing machine in the kitchen here in Portugal
I'm in London and space is at a premium. I have a washer/dryer machine in the kitchen, but either dry the 'smalls'/plus other items on a retractable line or on clothes dryers in the bathroom. On 'dry' days they will get hung outside on clothes lines.
Funny, I dry the smalls in the dryer and hang out the big items. Takes less time unpegging when it starts to rain.
We have mixer taps in the kitchen sink and the bath but not in either of the hand basins in the bathroom or the downstairs loo. Easy solution to the temperature thing : put the plug in and mix the water in the basin. In my house the hot water takes a few moments to come through so you can do most of what you need with just the hot tap.
plus it doesnt waste water, if its in the sink rather than letting the water flow and flow
Additionally, the third long prong on UK plugs needs to be shoved in with quite some force. It is longer and goes deeper into the socket. All it does is unlock the holes for the two remaining prongs which actually conduct electricity. This, combined with the on and off switch, makes plugs incredibly user friendly for families with children that might try and poke a knife or fork into one of the holes.
That third prong isn't only for opening the shutters. On a non-earthed device (when that prong is made of plastic), that is its general function; its primary purpose however, is to provide a route to Earth for safety.
Earthed devices will have that prong made of metal. It provides direct grounding for the device so that in the event of a fault, residual electricity will be directed down the mains cable and through the socket; rather than having electricity pass to any unsuspecting person that touches the faulty device.
@@damionlee7658 Ooh, that's great to know! Thanks for adding the additional info!
Australia and New Zealand both have 240v power and have outlets in the bathroom. All outlets are switched. There are outside outlets too (handy for plugging in a fridge or stereo on your patio) Many houses have at least 1 separate toilet from the bathroom which is good if u want to use the loo while someone is taking a shower
I love in a suburb, and my house is new compared to most other homes because it was built in the 90s. We have three bathrooms, one downstairs, one ensuite and one normal one on the landing. Three bedrooms, a living room, front room, kitchen and dining room and a utility room. Although the utility room we built after we bought he house by extending the kitchen space into the garage. Plus we have a conservatory. Our taps are with one faucet, we have the bathroom switches outside the bathroom same with plug sockets.
Although most houses do have washing machines and dishwashers in the kitchen.
The houses in the UK and the floor plan are very very varied depending on the age and size of the house, and whether or not it had any conversions done by previous or current owners.
That was a quick one. We turn both taps on to get right water temperature with the plug in of course. I love our sockets much safer. And not all kitchens are that small though as you can see some are.
Many homes in Europe have a washing machine in the bathroom, especially in Spain
same , most of the time there is no plumbing other then there for it. NL
I enjoy these videos so much! And I just got my student visa yesterday, so I'm going to be binging all the UK videos to get me ready! These videos are so fun!
I hope you have a good time and enjoy the UK
Hope you have a great time in the UK.
In Australia we have sockets in the bathrooms (240V), and separate laundry rooms with washer and dryer in most houses- although we only use dryers if we have to, most of us hang the washing outside.
I have had a washer-dryer in my flat since 1984 so it's by no means a new invention. Admittedly, the drying is not as effective as a single function tumble dryer but it's good enough if you live in a small house and have to make compromises due to space limitations.
Most windows in the UK open outward, so screens are very rare... But then we don't have a bug problem most of the time, especially up on the first floor (which is one floor up from the ground floor).
You should air the house every day, this is a damp country, mould often starts if you don’t, I also use a dehumidifier.
Most homes are decades or hundreds of years old so moving the plumbing and electrical is difficult.Most older homes don't have screens and must be made to order unless your windows open outwards.A/c is too expensive because of energy prices
230 volts is a lot more scary then the 110 volts in the US it will make your fingers tingle a little more
But not for long as there are generally no parts which are not RCD protected. It's not pleasant to be shocked but only hurts a little bit 🙂.
Except it's not the volts that kill you. It's the amps. And it only takes 50 milliamps to kill you. The reason the UK doesn't have outlets in the bathroom is just becuse the UK is behind the times. Other countries have 230-volt outlets in the bathroom. And it's no issue for them.
In Finland our bathrooms (usually a shower and place for washingmachine and toilet) are "wetrooms". Wet seal under the tiling and the the outlets must have a residual-current relay. If you short the outlet, the relay flips to off. And quite often these rooms with a shower are adjacent to a sauna!
We have the same thing here in Germany.
All fuse boxes MUST have "FI switches" (residual current circuit breakers) installed.
Hello,
In Spain we have sockets inside the bathroom but they have to be instaled over a 1'30 m from the floor and relatively far from the basin. All the lights fixtures have to be far from the shower and the light switch outside the bathroom. The kitchen sockets have to be far from the sink too. The kitchen and bathroom are considered "wet rooms" and the relay switch off if you overload the sockets.
Here it's more common to have a "lavadero" (a room or nook that usually it's attached to the kitchen but separated from the place where you prepare food by a door) with a sink and a washing machine or a combined wash&dry one. If the space is big, you can have a separated dryer machine, but we usually have a clothes line on the community terrace or in our balcony. If the lavadero (translated "laundry room") is bigger you can have the clothes line there, but it's very unnusual because we have relatively good weather (plenty of sunny days) to dry them outdoors.
Some houses/flats have big bathrooms and have there the washing machine if they don't have the laundry room. It's rare but we can see it there too. I've seen washing machines in the kitchen near the place where you prepare food (like in the video) in really tiny flats: it's the only place available.
He should do videos on Spain 🇪🇸
@@scarba 🤣 his head is going to explote. We are a strange bunch.
Regarding hot and cold taps, what do you think the basin with a plug is for, put the plug in and run hot and cold until you have the correct temp, wash hands, when finished pull the plug out, simple really!!!
Not every house has a separate toilet. I live in a Victorian terrace & the bathroom has a toilet. Our light switch is outside the room & we have a socket below that. Also a lot of people do have separate washers & dryers.
Yes, the light switch should be outside the room
The house I rented before the the one I bought and live in now was around 105 years old and was built as an industrial workers house.
These houses originally never had central heating or and inside toilet. The toilet was originally located in a separate building down the garden or in an extension on the back of the house known as an outhouse. Baths were taken in a tin bath beside the fireplace in the living room. Houses were heated by having a fireplace in multiple rooms.
This is the reason why, if you now go inside one of these houses you find many bricked up fireplaces and toilets that are not part of the bathroom. Central heating and inside toilets and bathrooms were later additions and so you find that at some time in their history the floor plan has changed. The internal walls have been moved. Often making the original bedrooms smaller in order to make room inside the house to create a small bathroom and toilet.
What you have to remember is that in the US many houses are wood and are around twenty years old. They are quick and cheap to build. Whereas in the UK houses are almost always brick or stone and it's common to live in a house over 100 years old, a time when we didn't have any of the technology we have today.
Therefore US home tend to incorporate new tech at the time of construction and where this is also true in newly built British homes, those are few in number, most are older homes which pre date most of the tech and so have had to be adapted and converted. It is much more time consuming and more expensive to construct British homes so demolishing the old and constructing new is not an option. There's also often protection and preservation orders in buildings here in the UK. This means you can only do certain things to the building as the owner. Often because of the buildings age or it's links to history so it has to be preserved. You can't just do what you like as an owner of a listed building. This is just a consequence of being a country with such a long history.
😁Here in Germany they say when someone buys an old house
>> Be careful that the monument protection does not have its foot in the door, otherwise it will be expensive
Washer-driers are not that good in my experience. The device you held up has a European plug.
The sockets in the bathroom thing is because even if you put waterproof sockets in the bathroom, you're still going to be using an appliance such as a hairdrier and the opportunities for accidents with the high humidity and wet bodies is high, as is the voltage. Having been electrocuted using a shower in Peru, I'm totally down with the regulations in the UK and do not want to rely on a circuit breaker to keep me alive no matter how sensitive they are.
Only the lack of window and door screens bothers me here but I've fitted some myself, so no problem. Our house is more than 250 years old, by the way. No-one can tell us the exact date it was built.
It’s a letter box. The Washing machine is in the kitchen unless you have a utility room also the tumble dryer is the kitchen unless as previously mentioned. Washer/dryers are not good if one part of it washer or dryer side goes down the machine is out of action, washer/dryers have being around for a long time. An outlet in Britain is where you can buy designer clothing etc cheaper.
Fixed light switches, heat lamp switches, exhaust fan switches, and power sockets are common in Australian bathrooms, but there are regulations on how far away they need to be from water sources. The outlet type is also regulated, depending on how close it is to a water source.
My house has three bathrooms, a downstairs loo, laundry room and outside outlet. Seriously not ALL houses are this tiny. And mixer taps. 😂
True but many are (mine included and my neighbours) and there were many more last century. New builds are getting smaller and smaller over time if the stats are to be believed. Developers try to cram as many as they can, cheek by jowl, onto the limited number of plots available for building and local authorities have government-imposed targets for house-building which they are obliged to meet.
I live In the countryside in a 200 year old house which was originally farm barns which were converted into a house around the 1970s . The outside walls are approx15” thick and made of brick and flint and trying to put a nail on any of the walls to hung a picture is a major project. You need to use an electric drill! The rooms are quite large but none of the bathrooms have sockets and the light switches are outside the bathroom doors. And they have mixer taps. The washing machine and drier are in the utility room but I prefer to dry the clothes in the fresh ai when it is not raining
We have, in every garden a secret place for the Pixies ,IF you don't they'll send in the Magpies.
There are fairies at the bottom of my garden
@@Lily-Bravo Good slight protection against the Pixies and their evil but adorable Magpies
in germany we usually have the washing machine in the bathroom, at least in apartments.
Our light and socket switch positions are the opposite to in the US; when the upper half of the switch rocker (most common type) is pushed in, that's "off". For a dolly switch, the distal end of the dolly is up for "off". An exception to this is the two-way switch, whereby the switches can be in any positions to turn the circuit on or off.
Ask for a bathroom (also known as a room with a bath in it) then say it is insane when the room has a bath as you asked for lol…
The water and tap thing is because in older British homes, which is a large % of the total homes, they were originally constructed with a storage tank in the loft or attic of the house that stored water ready to fill your hot water boiler. This top tank often had no lid and could sit for days becoming stagnant and things could fall in the water and contaminate the water.
Though this contaminated water would do nothing to hurt a human bathing in the water, it could if accidentally consumed, cause water borne diseases such as cholera and lead to death.
It was therefore made a legal requirement to separate the hot and cold water supplies. A cold water tap supplying cold water direct from the mains deemed as clean and fit for human consumption and then a separate hot tap drawing it's water from the hot water boiler which in turn was supplied from the top tank in the attic which was classed as fit for bathing in but not fit for drinking.
It's another quirk as a result of history, in this case creating the requirement to keep hot and cold water separate in order to prevent illness and possible death by accidental consumption of contaminated hot tank water.
As children we was often taught, when getting a glass of water to drink, to let the water run a while before filling the glass.
I remember my dad was scared of a bird falling in the tank. I suppose a bat or rat or anything could have been possible
The adapter you had as an example looks like a 'global' to US adapter. I have a similar one for 'global' to UK (3-pin). As I travel a bit, I have a few UK to 'continental' (schuko type F) adapters. Switzerland has a sort of narrow hexagon shape so you need a different adapter, if the hotel does not have schuko sockets. New Israeli builds seem to have schuko, but also have their own 3-pin. we're mostly 50Hz/220V.a.c. International chargers for phones, laptops & tablets will work as they can cope with the different frequencies.
I'm from post-Soviet country and we all have washing machines in our bathrooms, sometimes in a kitchens too. Usually it depends on how big is your bathroom. I have small bathroom but I really hate when it's in kitchen so I squeezed it in my bathroom (i sacrificed bathtub - removed my bathtub and installed shower and in extra space installed my washing machine with special sink above it). It's really convenient 🤗 Also we too have separate bathroom and loo or in old houses they're together (unfortunately I have them together in my apartment, it's really convenient when they're separate)
It always amazes me that Americans don't use the sink to wash their hands. We .ix hot and cold in the sink with the plug in. Saves so much water.
Mix
Wait who said we don’t wash our hands in the sink the lol
Yes we do have electric sockets in the kitchen. Just not near the sink. usually on the other side of the room.
The voltage in UK homes is almost twice that in the USA.
Bathrooms are on average a small sized room most times being the smallest room
Not having plugs in the bathroom is due to health and safety because the moisture in a bathroom is higher than that in a kitchen
Also plugs and kitchen appliances have high standards of safety in the UK
High standards? Grenfell Tower fire....
We have plugs and sockets in our bathrooms in Australia… even in the cold and in the extremely humid areas… we also have mandatory earth leakage protection for every outlet in the house, which stops any accidental zaps from occurring.
In Germany plugs in the bathroom are no problem.
@@SilvanaDil higher standards with relating to plugs and sockets, Grenfell Tower also had the issue of cladding and the electric fault that started the fire was inside the refrigerator not due to the plug or the socket.
For plugs look at Tom Scott's vid British Plugs Are Better Than All Other Plugs, And Here's Why
Link = ua-cam.com/video/UEfP1OKKz_Q/v-deo.html
You sometimes find shaver sockets in the bathroom, which deliver the full 240 volts, but hidden away, out of sight, is an isolating transformer, so there is no route to Earth, and that removes the risk of electrocution.
A kitchen would not normally be full of water vapour, which a bathroom might be, and generally you are also not wet from head to toe.
The current in the USA is 110 volts whereas in the UK it is 240 volts which can be dangerous in damp and steamy bathrooms which is why we do not have electrical outlets there except for pull light switches or shaver points. In the kitchen the plug sockets cannot be close to a sink. We have switches so we can turn off the switch before unplugging or leave the plug in and turn off the switch.
As a brit, we usually don't have outlets on the outsides of our homes unless you install them as the houses could be over 200-300 years old.
I've used those washer-dryers in an apartment in New Zealand and they suck! They wash adequately but they are useless at drying! Separate machines are way better.
2 ways to get warm water.
1 turn on the taps and put in a plug to get warm water.
2 turn on hot water put your hands under it while it's cold then add soap and by the time you've lathered up it will have warmed up. Then wash the soap off.
ELECTRIC STANDARDS
One of the reasons that UK uses 240v is that means less current = less heat = can use thinner wires = less copper = cheaper wiring without increasing risk of fires. Higher voltages does mean higher electrocution risk, hence various additional mandatory safety measures. But from what I hear there can be substantially more electrical fires in the USA as when there is a wiring fault your higher current means lots of heat and therefore fires.
Plus so many of our houses are built pre 1990's that electrical trip switches were just not available.
Not mentioned is, I believe, USA appliance plugs do not have fuses in them?
The voltage of electric sockets and appliances in the UK is 240v AV., as opposed to the 120v D.C. used in the US. An electric shock at 240v alternating current can and does kill instantly; hence the more stringent safety rules in the UK.
As a Brit, the idea of putting a socket in the bathroom gives me anxiety.
Been living abroad for 25 years and sockets next to sinks totally freak me out and I forbid everyone to use the hairdryer next to the sink. It’s terrifying.
Most homes in Britain are old, well kept, but old. Light switches on cords are therefore not that unusual, especially in rooms such as bathrooms, basements, attics and walk-in cupboards. Outlets in the bathroom are not permitted due to steam and condensation from hot water (bathing and showers). Imagine you just had a hot bath and washed your hair so now you grab the hair drier (which has a damp plug due to condensation) and plug it into the wall socket - - - hey presto! Remember the wiring in old homes is likely to also be older and plugs not GFCI, or whatever that was . . . . . In the kitchen the doors and windows are generally open and therefore no condensation!
🤣🤣🤣 what I love is in kitchen you have all the water devices from sink to dryers but have power point for kitchen appliances
Here in Australia where more like you guys either in bath room or a room of its own for washing machines
Yeah our older properties have separate dunnys modern homes have Dunny in bathrooms
Most houses in the UK have the washing machine and dishwasher ( if your fancy) in the kitchen....because that's where the water and drainage is. We don't use washer/dryers...unless you're rich....as they are very expensive here.
If you go to Spain, they will have the washing machine in the bathroom.
Our electricity is way more powerful than in the US, hence no plug sockets in the bathroom.
Outside sockets have to be protected from the weather in a plastic casing.
Bathroom...the clue is in the name !!
I have a washer not a washer/dryer but as my kitchen is tiny the tumble dryer has to go in the bedroom.
No, we don’t have outside sockets, I think those are illegal still. Sockets in bathrooms has always been illegal in the UK. Our normal 3 pin sockets were introduced in 1948 to replace the older round pin sockets. The house I grew up in had them but my grandparents had the older type. None of them had switches on then, I remember when Dad had the house rewired to add more sockets (you used to only get one per room) they’d had switches added by then.
I loathe mixer taps. I’ve one in the kitchen but, fortunately, both the downstairs loo and bathroom sink have separate taps. I’m 67, so was taught to wash my hands by filling the sink first but I’ve always washed them under a running tap and I use the method shown here swishing your hands between hot and cold.
We have RCB breakers which are very similar to GFCI. The issue is that the breaker is a single point of failure that you are relying on to save your life from 240v at 30amps (i.e. instant death)
UK regs rarely rely on technology alone for safety. The regs do allow sockets in the bathroom, but they need to be 2+ meters away from the basin or loo. Most UK bathrooms are not that big.
This video shows apartments built before every household had their own toilets etc. Im from finland, and in the old center of Helsinki you can find apartment buildings built back when private toilets/baths were public, one toilet per every few apartments or so. My friend was living in an old apartment in the centrum, and he had his toilet seat in a small closet next to the main door, and if you wanted to wash your hands, you had to go to the kitchen/living room, and there, he had another closet with only a shower. these types you can find a lot in small apartments throughout any cities with old buildings. I used to have one too, my bathroom/toilet was so small that when I took a shower, I had to sit on my toilet seat. And of course throw toilet paper etc out while taking a shower so they don't get wet.
My first house was over two hundred years old built without a bathroom it had a toilet at the end of the back yard. I had a kitchen built on and added a bathroom upstairs taking space of the two bedrooms this is common in the UK in many towns with rows of terraced houses
Of course, if you've got separate hot and cold water taps, you fill the washbasin/sink with hot and cold water, the plug (not an electrical one!) firstly seated in the plug hole, so you then have standing water to wash in. It's more hygienic as you don't need to touch a tap to turn them off after washing. Note that plugs in the washbasins in public toilets are often missing as some rapscallion has stolen them (I know; why?); the solution is to bung the plug hole with some toilet paper or a paper towel.
Because of how strong the current is the UK 240 volts have always been safety concerns with electric and bathrooms. However around 15 years ago a student was killed whilst in her rented flat. That student's father was an MP (lawmaker) and he introduced even more strict safety rules and more training and regulations for Electricians
HI RYAN
DEBRA HERE FROM SOUTH WALES UK
Our hand basins come with a little invention called the basin plug, which you place in the hole of the basin to stop the water running out and each run tap of water until the optimum temperature is reached and then hey presto you can wash your hands and faceabd then remove the plug to let the water run out
In Australia it's mostly called a toilet. If you came over and asked for the bathroom we would likely know you meant the toilet or ask if that's what you wanted. Kitchen laundry is wired to us too. Cords from ceilings rare but in old houses that haven't been renovated, same with the taps. But we have plugs in the bathrooms.
How do you survive having power sockets in the bathrooms like most Europeans too, while Brits fear to death being killed directly when there is some steam in the bathroom?
@@Hoschie-ww7io lol who knows, we like to live on the edge
in the Uk the washers & dryers are either in the Kitchen or Utility Room. The Pullcord lightswitch in the Bathroom is semi-standard, the more normal these days is the lightswitch is outside of the bathroom.
In france washing machine are usually in the bathroom, there's even a special socket for it and pipes for it. But we do have multiple sockets in the bathroom
Most modern installations have combined hot and cold water taps. IN any case a hot water supply can be set to a hand tolerable hot level so you don't need to swop between hot and cold water.
However cold drinking water is actually safer from a dedicated or flushed source - hot /warm pipes host bio-film bacteria that can cause stomach illnesses, like vomiting or diarrhoea, if they are swallowed. But these germs can also cause illnesses of the lungs, brain, eyes, or skin. This is why you should not drink water while showering.
Washer dryers don't need to be switched to dry mode, its usually just part of the cycle. For some reason she didn't mention dish washers. Loos are often combined with the room containing a bath but some homes have 2 with 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs.
Washer dryers sound like a great space saving idea- and they are in small homes- but are not very efficient to run. Plus it means you can only do one load of washing at a time, rather starting off second wash whilst the first is drying. If their home has any outside space, Brits ae more likely to dry their clothes on outdoors lines or airers than put them in a dryer.
The hot/cold taps. No-one actually moves their hands between the two as she demonstrates. Most hot water is cool enough for handwashing, without needing any cold water.
We don't have window screens as we have fewer and smaller bugs than in parts of the US.
She said pigeons will come flying in 😂
In the bathroom you can be coated with water and touching electrical outlets chance of zapp.. in the Kitchen the chances of you being coated with water is slim, thats what the sink is for to catch the water, so we dont waste water, we generally dont have outlets Outside, the rain we use long extension leads
Mines got toilet and sink and bath/ shower. And yes separate taps. Put the plug in the sink and add a little of each water hot/cold perfect.
UK has GFCI at the breaker panel and for the whole house it's called RCD (residual current device) here.
If you ask to meto use the "bathroom" I will show you where the toilate is. As I would be mortified if a guest of mine just randomly takes a bath when they call over.
re: socket/outlet placement: For modern-build kitchens, there are normally dual sockets (now with USB!) at the back of the kitchen counters - kettle, toaster, food processor etc. Probably some behind the cabinets at a lower level for the washer/drier, dish-washer (not common in UK homes) or built-in units. However, electric ovens would have a separate breaker . other rooms would probably have the outlets at floor level for vacuum cleaner, standard lamps , TV/Media kit. I like the idea of having the washer/drier in the bathroom/toilet area and have seen this overseas in apartment rentals, but it's not common GB. It's just that, our houses are very very small compared to US & Aus/NZ - you have more space. (not NY apartments obvs.)
If you want warm water you run both hot and cold at the same time and use the plug.
Most homes have the toilet in the bathroom...older places may have a separate room.
Socket outlets can be fitted into the bathroom but the regulations state that the socket must be a minimum of 3m away from the bath or shower. Most UK bathrooms are not large enough to allow that. I've been an electrician for over 40 yrs and have never seen or fitted a 13amp socket in a bathroom. In the kitchen, sockets should be a minimum of 300mm from the sink.
The true reason for double taps, is that previously by law every home had to have a large cold water storage tank .This was to supply (non drinking water) for baths and toilets ect, and save on the number reservoirs needed. To wash your hands, you put the plug in and part fill the basin. This is to save the amount of water used.
I used to have a cord pull light, but I have a switch that's outside the bathroom as you go in. These days there aren't many houses that have separate toilet & bath we do have them combined, plus we do know have mixer taps. When she moved her hands between the two taps, why didn't she fill the sink, she'll have the right temp then. Not everyone has outlets outside either, but the no electric outlets on the bathroom for safety when we have them near water in the kitchen, I never understood that either & from the UK.🏴
I'm not suggesting that this is at all the usual thing but we have our washing machine in the bathroom because that room is abnormally big and has the bath at one end and the laundry area at the other. Our drier is mounted in the garage near our outdoor clothesline where we dry most of our laundry, only using the drier in periods where the weather makes outdoor drying impracticable or to fluff up towels at the end of a drying day.
The main reason for more “ safety” regulations is that the UK has a much higher voltage than in North America. The voltage there is 240 V, compared to the US 120 V. Getting electrocuted there is REALLY getting electrocuted. It’s also the reason there are on/off switches by the outlets .
6:50 in modern uk homes now like mine you can just get a hot and cold tap but it comes out in the same place and for the bathroom plug sockets apart from charging an electric razer what would you need one for?
American washers and dryers are far more effective and just generally work better than UK washers/dryers. U.S. dryers not only have the full temperature range options as their UK counterparts, but they often can get even hotter if you so choose. Separate units always work better than any combo unit.
In Portugal the washing machine is also in the kitchen. Maybe it is because the old kitchens, before the washing machines, had a place to wash the clothes (don't know the english desigation), and then the washing marine Took its place. That happens in my parent's house.
I have a washer dryer, but don't use the dryer too much as I like to hang out on the line. The ,laundry smells so good, and no chemical scents needed. This winter I am trying to to use the line even more, as energy costs are expected to be exorbitant.
No screens, no outside taps, no room for separate utility rooms or cupboards for machines. Washer dryers have been around for several decades all over the world, not just UK
America use Gsci in bathrooms.
In the UK all electric outlet are covered by this device.
Lights
Power outlets
Electric cooker and electric heater are all covered by a single device, located on the fuse board 😉
Bathrooms in Germany usually have a toilet, and washdryers are common in Europe, we have european brands and asian brands, sometimes american brands too
in the netherlands this is not the case , except the more expensive houses.
Many people in the UK dry their clothes on a line outside if they have the outdoor space. It's cheaper (free), better for the environment and the clothes smell nicer.
In quite a few European countries it can be common to find the washing machine in the bathroom, especially is Scandinavia.
In the UK, to comply with code, you should not be able to touch any water source and an outlet (socket) in a kitchen. Bathrooms are another thing, to comply with code it should not be possible to make contact with a water source and any electrical equipment including a plastic wall light switch, hence the cord or the lights switch is outside the bathroom.
7:15 an Euro Plug. up to 2.5 Amps 230 Volt.
It fits into the plug systems in France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Russia and many Asian countries.
Russia has the worst plug systems without grounding.
But not in UK and India.
But you can also force the Euro Plug into British sockets.
Round plugs into rectangular contacts. That is not in accordance with any regulation.
You'd survive a 110v shock, but 240v less so. Hairdryer dropped into a bath full of water mmm no thanks.
The 3rd pin on the plug is longer and depresses a safety cover inside the socket, so as no live parts are exposed. It also acts as an earth in many cases. BSS British Safety Standard
Separate taps simple, put in the plug and mix in the bowl. Saves water.
In the uk our electric sockets take 240 volts. In America yours is much lower. In our kitchens the outlets legally have to be a certain distance away from the sink. Some houses have separate toilets to the bathroom itself. Also not every bathroom has a bath most of the times these days it’s a shower.
The sockets in bathroom issue, yes we have sockets in the kitchen and outside, yes we have circuit breakers I think the difference is you rarely immerse yourself in water in the kitchen.
Basically I agree, I think UK rules are there to prevent poor/bad installations which could be dangerous, much easier to know a socket in the bathroom is not to standard.
The water temperature, hand washing, each sink has a plug, you fit it and mix the water in the sink, this also results in less waste of water.
The Washer/drier is great but not as practical as you might hope; they are expensive, they often don't dry as well as a drier, the maximum load for drier cycle is normally half that of the wash cycle. They are useful if that's the space you have available.
Most UK houses have a letter box (flap) in the front door, I would guess about 99%..
Many bathrooms have toilets, if not the toilet is often (normally) the next door (given the pipe work), rules on switches and sockets do not apply to toilets. Modern houses will have a toilet on each floor (newish building regulations).
If you have hot and cold taps separately and you don't want to do the hot cold hot cold hand dance you can put in the plug. In practice though, it can take so long for the hot water to reach the basin you have already left the room.
Some houses do have laundry rooms. Some bathrooms do have the toilet in them. If you put the plug in the basinand you turn the taps on you get the water to the temperature you like. Because of the laws the sockets in the kitchen have to be away from the kitchen sink. Yes we do have outside sockets but they are ugly and the law regarding sockets in the bathroom have not been changed. One annoying fact about light switches into the bathroom if you don't have pullcord the switch is on the outside of the bathroom, which is annoying but you get used to it.
Just a bit left field, I lived in Scotland 🏴 & I was doing some gardening (digging) & I couldn’t find one bug 🐞 🐛🪲
I even looked under rocks & no bugs. 🇦🇺🐨
Hi.
Remember it could be dependant on voltage differences in USA.
Most of our electrical differences are to do with safety.
My experience with the bathroom -
If you have a separate toilet, then someone else can use it while you splash about in the bath.
Finally, I think in Europe, they're slightly closer to your way of doing things - two pin plugs, and the likes.
More emphasis on showering rather than sitting in a bath tub.
We have isolater switches for items in the kitchen and outside and strict rules and regulations, the basin is in the bathroom and loo you normally have a loo these days in the same room as a bath and or shower, we're used to two taps but all you do is put the plug in the sink which is what we call it in the kitchen or the basin and put the water in from both taps. We have varying sizes of houses don't forget many of ours were built long before the States as we know it now was even thought of, we don't tend to put electronic items in cupboards, they are normally built in wardrobes and airing cupboards, depending on the age and size you might still have wardrobes freestanding and chest of drawers, and if we want screens on the windows we'll install them ourselves, but again if it's a listed building you have to go through hoops to change anything, look at graded buildings and homes and what we can't do, something you likely don't have over there
Unfortunately, most of our houses do not have a utility room for washing machines and dryers, hence why they're in the kitchen.
the bathroom can't house it either ?
5.26 yes. Pure logic. Bath room . For a bath
Why? When you poo and pull out real stinky one you can still go bath right away without any negative smells.
As far as I'm aware those are separate in eastern Europe , by standard.
Also you can poo happy while your Kate baths in separate room.
Donno just makes more sense.
Yes, we have separated bathroom and toilet in Slovakia. It's the standard especially in appartments.
The UK has twice the voltage and uses a ring main not a direct feed. RCDs are fitted to the distribution box. And every electrical device is also fused, but even then relying on a safety feature in daily life is questionable. A bathroom with a bath or shower steams up, steam can land in any surface and condense electrifying a wall if the temperature drops rapidly enough... Winter in the UK it can drop rapidly enough!
What's your addition to electricity in a bathroom, historically here women had dressing rooms or at least an area in the bedroom with mirrors and the usual stuff needed...
In Sweden we most often have bathroom with toilet and washing machine.
There are strict regulations about electricity and plumming in Sweden because of safety.
In a lot of houses= homes there also is a separate toilet for guests.
Most european countries has less rooms, so washing machine/dryer in the bathroom. We do have sockets there though (CZ)
According to the UK's Consumers' Association, washer-dryers have a reputation for breaking down. A friend of mine got one despite my warning him and, sure enough, it stopped working after about a year and he replaced it with just a washer. It's best anyway to not put all your washing eggs in one laundry basket, to paraphrase the saying.
Washing machines in bathrooms is common on the European continent.
I've heard a number of Americans say they don't like front-loaders as they develop smelly mould that has to be cleaned out. The thing is, though, the door of the machine is supposed to be left ajar when not in use; if you do that, there's no mould, smelly or otherwise.
Contrary to popular belief, there's no ban on having normal electrical wall sockets and light switches in UK bathrooms; however, the average UK bathroom is too small to accommodate the regulatory distances between sockets/switches and water fittings and fixtures. Part 'P' of the Building Regulations covers it.