Minimum Height of Shower Head

[Bruce Ramsey]

702 specifcies materials to be used to build shower/tub enclosures. 2708 specifies that minimum sizes of shower enclosures. Also specficies that shower supply must be affixed to the building. The previous references specifiy the enclosure must be at least 70 inches above the drain.

Can't find any reference that states the shower head must be a min or max inches above the drain. With the newer "Rain" shower heads mounted in the cieilng kinda does away for a max height. But it would seem that there would be a minimum the shower head must be above the drain. Inspection today has a tub spout just above the tub and a shower head mounted about 36 inches above the floor. Silly.

Got any pointers to a minimum height for shower heads?

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

I'm not aware of, nor could I find, a minimum height for showers.

Years ago I remodeled a master bedroom, master bathroom, and another bedroom into one large master suite with a large master bathroom. The owner wanted a large shower so as not to require shower enclosure doors on two sides and she wanted a place to sit to shave her legs.

I installed two main shower heads (long before that became an 'in thing to have') with another shower (hand held) with it's own receptor at the bench seat for shaving her legs - no minimum height there either.

Another time I installed a hand held shower at a large tub so it could be used for hair washing - no minimum height there either.

And on several occasions I've inspected new homes with tub spouts low in the shower for washing feet without having to turn the shower on.

If there was no tub, I would address that shower head as not being a shower either. But with the tub there and no knowledge of the reason for the height of the shower head (it could be for one of the above reasons or some other reason), I would see if the water stays in the tub or sprays outside the tub - if the water does not stay in the tub then regardless of the reason it is there it is not installed/located correctly.

Not sure if the above helped with your question?

[Bruce Ramsey]

Thanks. Sometimes there is an obsqure reference hidden in unlikley section of the code. I did not find anything in the most likley locations and just wondered if there was some special place I was overlooking.

Thanks for the follow up.