Choose the Right Lighting by IP Rating

A bright and cheerful lighting story is an important component of every room in the home, but choosing the proper lights to illuminate your space is all about understanding UL listings, IP ratings, and how to choose the proper fixtures for the spaces inside and outside your home. The lighting fixtures themselves aren’t the only items that can receive a UL rating; even the bulbs you choose to fill the fixtures with can be rated for exposure to moisture.

What is the difference between a UL Rating and IP rating? 

Lighting fixtures often feature both the UL listing and an IP rating. Choosing the lighting fixture that’s appropriate for any area inside or outside of your home requires understanding what a UL rating and IP rating is and how to use them to choose the ideal lighting fixture.

 Understanding Lighting by UL Listings 

As you shop for indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures, you’ll find UL listings along with the specifications of each lighting fixture.

UL Listed for Dry Locations

When you see a fixture that says UL rating, it means that it’s suitable for indoor, dry locations. Sometimes, a little dampness is okay as long as ventilation prevents accumulation.

UL Listed for Damp Locations

When you’re shopping for light fixtures in kitchens, bathrooms, showers, and other areas that may be exposed to humidity or direct moisture, make sure the fixture is UL listed for damp locations. These are indoor or outdoor spaces that may occasionally be exposed to condensation, making them appropriate for protected areas that don’t have direct water access, such as covered patios, laundry rooms, and bathrooms.

UL Listed for Wet Locations

Look for a wet location rating when you need interior lighting and landscape lighting that will have direct contact with water through rain, splashes, or even sprinklers. This includes fixtures inside showers, post lights, and other exposed forms of landscape lighting.

What Is an Ingress Protection (IP) Rating?

The ingress protection, or IP rating helps to evaluate the construction of the case surrounding a lighting fixture to see if the casing will protect the fixture from water, dust, or solid object intrusion. These tests are performed at an accredited laboratory and are typically printed on the packaging for the lighting fixture.

The IP rating will feature two numbers. The first number refers to the protection against solid intrusion, such as dust.

• 0: No protection 
• 1: Protection against solids above 50mm 
• 2: Protection against solids above 12.5mm 
• 3: Protection against solids above 2.5mm 
• 4: Protection against solids above 1.0mm 
• 5: Enough dust protection to prevent damage 
• 6: Dust-tight design for no ingress

The second number refers to the level of protection against water and moisture.

• 0: No protection against water 
• 1: Protection against vertical water drops 
• 2: Protection against water drops at a 15-degree angle 
• 3: Protection against water drops at a 60-degree angle 
• 4: Protection against water splashing from any angle 
• 5: Protection against water jets from any angle 
• 6: Protection against powerful water jets and heavy seas 
• 7: Watertight protection against temporary immersion (up to 30 minutes) at depths between 15cm and 1m 
• 8: Watertight protection up to 4m during long periods of immersion

Choosing the Ideal IP Rating for Every Part of Your Bathroom

Now that you understand what an IP rating is, it’s time to discover the best bathroom lighting for the area you’re locating. When it comes to the different areas of your bathroom, what’s most important is considering whether the space will be exposed to humidity, direct wetness, or neither.

Inside the Bathtub or Shower

We’re not talking over top of the shower here. These are lighting fixtures that are going to experience water submersion. It is necessary to have low-voltage fixtures that are rated IP67 or higher. Many strip lights meet these specifications.

Wall Above a Bathtub or Shower

These can be major splash and humidity zones. Choosing the overhead lighting above your bathtub or shower means you have to look for an IP44 rating at the minimum, but we recommend an IP65 rating.

Wall Adjacent to a Bathtub, Shower, Sink, or Toilet

Over the sink and outside of the direct splash zone of the shower, lower IP ratings are appropriate. In these spaces, look for IP44 ratings.

Wall with No Contact with Water

The area in a water closet, toilet, or bathroom vanity won’t experience water contact but light humidity can still be a concern. In these spaces, an IP20 rating should be sufficient.

Choosing the Right Lighting Fixture for Your Outdoor Spaces

When you’re making outdoor rooms every bit as functional and inviting as your indoor spaces, a lighting story is a key component. Make sure you’re selecting the right lighting fixtures for every outdoor area by breaking down the needs of protected outdoor spaces and exposed outdoor spaces.

Protected Outdoor Spaces

Many outdoor spaces are protected by an awning, ceiling, or screen surround. Those areas that may be exposed to humidity and the occasional splash require lighting fixtures that are UL listed for damp locations.

Exposed Outdoor Spaces

These are the areas surrounding your home that are going to receive direct contact with water via rain, pool splashes, sprinklers, and more. Outer walls, uncovered porches and patios, pool surrounds, exposed walkways with landscape lighting all need lighting fixtures that are UL listed for wet locations.