What is IP rating and how does this impact you?

What is Ingress Protection (IP)?

Ingress protection (aka IP) ratings determine the level of effectiveness an electrical product is against foreign bodies and liquids affecting its inner workings. The higher the IP rating the more resistant the heating solution is (essentially against water).

IP ratings are important because they are necessary to understand if an electrical appliance is at risk of causing danger.

What IP are electric heaters?

In heating, Ingress Protection ratings are dependant on the type of electric heater you are installing and the nature of your bathroom. You will find that towel rails are most appropriate for heating a shower or wet room and are safe in these rooms: a towel rail has a high IP rating of 44. All electric heaters/appliances must have an IP rating of 24 to go into a bathroom to be deemed safe.

What protection does IP24 give you?

Protection against solid objects greater than 12mm. It also protects you from water splash from all directions. It means that some electrical appliances can be suitable in a bathroom but customers still need to be mindful of how close their electric heaters are to a water source (we always recommend 60cm).

The NEOS radiator isn’t IP rated - this means we don’t regularly recommend our radiator to be fitted in bathrooms - but if it is fitted it needs to be 60cm from a water source.

Tags: Bathroom Heating, Regulations.