IP Ratings For A Shower Area

IP (Ingress Protection) Ratings are a guidelines which every bath installation must comply to. To make it simple, we've got lists to breakdown what each rating means and zone images to easily identify what can be placed where. 

For showers, it's split into three zones.

Zone Zero is inside the shower tray itself. Any fitting used in this zone must be low voltage, (max 12v) and be rated at least IP67 which is total immersion proof (ie plinth lights).

Zone One applies to the area in the shower up to a height of 2.25 metres (7.6 feet). This requires a minimum rating of IP44 and if using 240v 30ma, a RCD (Residual Current Device) must be installed to protect the circuit. (ie electric shower)

Zone Two applies to the next 0.6 metres (2 feet) above and to the side of Zone A. This requires a minimum rating of IP04.

What to IP ratings mean?

The IP Rating is broken down into two numbers, the first is protection against things like fingers, dust, tools and the like and the second is for the level of protection against liquids.

First Number:

• 0 - No Protection
• 1 - Protected against solid objects with a diameter of 50mm and over (e.g. hands)
• 2 - Protected against solid objects of 12mm (e.g. fingers)
• 3 - Protected against solid objects over 2.5mm (e.g. tools)
• 4 - Protected against solid objects over 1mm (e.g. small wires, small nails)
• 5 - Protected against dust but some dust still allowed
• 6 - Protected against all dust

Second Number:

• 0 - No Protection
• 1 - Protected against drops of condensed water
• 2 - Protected against drops of liquid, drop of falling liquid has no bad effect on enclosure tilted at 15 degree angle from the vertical
• 3 - Protection against rain, rain falling has no bad effect at an angle of 60 degrees or smaller from the vertical
• 4 - Protection against splashing, no bad effect from splashing in any direction
• 5 - Protection against water jets, no bad effect from water jet spray
• 6 - Protection against ship deck conditions
• 7 - Protection against water immersion for a limited amount of time
• 8 - Protection against indefinite water immersion

So an IP Rating of IP04 gives no protection against solid objects (0) and protection against water splashing (4).

So if you are looking for a new electric shower for inside the shower or bathroom lighting or extractor fans for over the shower area it is important to make sure it has the correct IP rating.