Bathroom Lighting Guide

Having decent lighting in the bathroom is absolutely essential, especially when it comes to performing tasks such as doing your hair or shaving.

There are many different options when it comes to bathroom lighting in terms of what lights you can actually use and where they can be placed. Find out all you need to know below.

Rules and Regulations When Installing Bathroom Lighting

Aside from burning candles, all bathroom lighting involves using electricity and one of the key features of a bathroom is that it has water in it and as we all know, water and electricity do not mix!

With the above in mind, I’m sure it will come as no shock to you that the type of lighting that can be used in a bathroom and where it’s placed is very tightly controlled.

In terms of electrical installations, the bathroom is regarded as a “special location” and because of this only a Part P registered electrician is allowed to perform any work in this area! This is stated in the 18th edition of 7671 Requirements For Electrical Installations (Wiring Regulations).

This means that: all new installations or modifications to the electrical wiring within bathrooms or shower rooms should be carried out by certified individuals or companies and a certificate for the work should be produced to reflect it. This also applies to 12 volt lighting in bathrooms.

In the event that any work is carried out in this area and there is no certificate to prove it was carried out and signed off by a professional with the necessary skills then this can invalidate your home insurance, especially if anything were to happen.

Additionally, the actual lighting that’s used must also conform to the correct “IP” rating for the area it is to be installed in, more on this below.

As mentioned, any works need to be completed to comply with Electrical Regulations. For more information on this and staying safe when working around electrics, see our electrical safety project here.

What is IP Rating?

As well as who can actually carry out the work in a bathroom, there are also rules and regulations governing what type of lighting you can use and what “IP rating” it must meet.

In short, any lighting that is used in a bathroom must be at minimum IP44 rated (or IPX 4), so what does this mean? Well, IP stands for Ingress Protection and the rating of a particular light states how well it resists against solid or liquid ingress.

Using the example “IP44”, the IP stands for Ingress Protection, the fist numerical figure states protection from solids and the second protection from liquids. The higher the numbers, the more protection.

In the case of IP44, this means the unit has been designed to provide protection from entry by solid objects, with a diameter or thickness greater than 1.0mm and also provide protection from splashed water.

In terms of all the different levels of protection and how well they protect, this is as follows:

So, with the above in mind, depending on where a given light is going to be installed will depend on what IP level it will need to meet.

Something also to bear in mind is that, depending on the design, some light fittings are made double-insulated and do not need an earth. Others are manufactured with metal and casings would definitely need an earth.

What Type of Lighting is Allowed in a Bathroom?

Moving on a little further with the idea of different lighting needing to meet certain protection criteria depending on where it’s being placed, as we have stated, any light in a bathroom MUST be at least IP44 rated.

As another example, where a light fitting is subject to direct contact with water it has to carry an IP rating of IP65 which makes it jet proof.

If lighting is provided actually in the shower tray or bath (Zone 0 – more on this below) then it must be 12 Volt lighting and carry an IP of 67 which allows for immersion to a depth of 1m of water. Even better is an IP rating of 68 which will withstand pressurised immersion.

As a summary, the following IP ratings can be used in the following situations:

• IP44: Solid protection up to 1mm square and protection from water gently sprayed from any direction
• IP65: Solid protection against most dust, water protection from low pressure jets
• IP67 (IPX7): Immersed in water up to 1m deep for a short period
• IP68: Permanently immersed in water

If you are choosing your own lights for an electrician to install, do your research thoroughly before making a purchase as there is a vast amount of different options available including halogen (old fashioned now and high energy use), spotlights, sealed units, LED lights, globe lights, as well as wall lights and lights in combination with shaver sockets and illuminated mirrors. There is more information on this in our project on Low Voltage Lighting.

Due to the extreme energy saving features of the LED light, most bathroom lighting today is LED and in most cases this is what you should opt for, simply due to the energy and cost savings you will benefit from.

Steam and water vapour are other factors to consider when choosing your lighting. There is a tendency for some members of the family to leave bathroom lights on, which can result in overheating with vapour from a shower when using some lights and bulbs.

For example, vapour condensing on a hot light could cause a potential hazard. A qualified electrician could link bathroom lighting to a PIR (passive infra red) switch that would only operate when entering the bathroom and without any further movement would switch off after a set time delay.

What are Bathroom Zones?

As we have mentioned, to ensure the correct type of lighting is used in the right location, the regulations have essentially “split” the bathroom up into special locations and with each location comes a minimum IP device that can be used. These zones are as follows:

• Zone 0: Inside a shower, around a bath, behind a sink – all needs to be IP68 rated AND low voltage at 12V maximum
• Zone 1: Area above the height of 2.25m above a shower or bath should be at minimum IP44 rated
• Zone 2: Area 600mm away from a Zone 1 site should be at minimum IP44 rated

Note: If you are planning on using any high pressure jets in and around Zones 1 or 2 for cleaning or another purpose then any lighting should be at minimum IP65 rated

This is only a very brief run down on bathroom zones, for a full and detailed explanation, see our bathroom zones project here.

Bathroom Lighting and Extractor Fans

As bathrooms don’t feature sockets, generally there is usually only a lighting circuit available to take power from for things like mirrors and also extractor fans.

Bathrooms with minimal, basic ventilation or no windows may have an extractor fan linked to the lighting circuit, so that it comes on automatically, when the light is switch on.

This will ultimately depend on the power of the fan, but the electrician performing the work will know exactly what can and can’t be used.

In terms of what can be used to turn an extractor fan on and off if it’s not powered directly off of the lights, this can be a switch outside of the bathroom, normally above the door or also a pull cord switch inside the bathroom in the appropriate zone area.

Types of Bathroom Lighting

Now that we have looked at the regulations governing what type of bathroom lighting you can have and where it can be installed, it’s time to take a look at some of the different types of bathroom lighting available.

Bathroom Ceiling Lights

For basic functional lighting, without anything fancy, consider a basic straight forward flush fit ceiling light, which is protected with a glass shade and is fixed with screws or clips to the ceiling.

The light itself can be emitted from a tube, normally a 2D fluorescent tube light that uses either 2, 4 or more pins to take power. These are generally around 13 watt mark and provide a decent level of lighting.

As good as 2D fluorescent bulbs are, they are in fact now a little “old hat” and rather inefficient. A much better option is to use an LED version as it will last much longer and cost a lot less to run.

Aside from fluorescent tubes, many basic bathroom lighting options also use standard bulbs, either bayonet fit or ES (Edison Screw) type. Again these can be incandescent or fluorescent but today, tend to be LED.

These type of lights are also easily installed. The base plate is simply screwed to the ceiling, the wires connected to the correct terminals and then a cover (either glass or plastic) with a rubber seal is placed over and either clamped or screwed down, sealing the innards from water ingress. This again should be IP44 rated.

Also available for the ceiling is the bathroom spotlight. Similar to a spot light that may be used in a kitchen or living room, bathroom spotlights can be moved and adjusted to project light down on to any desired surface.

Unlike kitchen or living room alternatives, bathroom spot lights need to be at least IP44 rated to ensure they are sealed correctly from any form of water ingress.

A great benefit of this type of lighting is that it’s available in a huge range of styles and layouts, most commonly with either 2, 4, 6 or 8 individual lights.

Continuing with lights mounted to the ceiling, it’s also possible to get bathroom down lights or recessed lights as they’re also known. These can take bulbs of various types of both 240 volt and 12 volt.

Again keeping with the theme, these also need to be shielded from any form of water, moisture or steam ingress and should be at least IP44 rated.

As with others, they are available in a range of different types and styles, one such is the "eyeball", where it is possible to swivel the light to a pre-determined angle.

More often than not, down lights are generally used for Zone 0 and Zone 1 installs e.g. in or above a bath or shower as they are easy to keep sealed and ensure they meet the minimum IP65 (or IP68) requirements for such locations.

The final general style of bathroom ceiling light comes in the form of the pendant light. As they hang down they are ideal for bathrooms with very high ceilings.

They are also very stylish and can be used to great effect to create a sense of grandeur.

Wall Lighting Options for Bathrooms

Aside from the more common ceiling lights for bathrooms, it’s also possible to get walls lights. Again, they work in pretty much the same way that they would be used in any other room in the house, except as they’re being used in the bathroom they’re IP rated.

As with all other lights, various designs of wall lights are available from the more traditional to the more stylish and contemporary. In some instances they can also incorporate a mirror and/or a shaver socket.

There are also illuminated shaving mirrors, which, as they are wall mounted can be classed as a form of lighting. As the light they emit is fairly low, they’re great if you want to keep the overall light levels to a minimum.

In most situations they are used where ceiling lighting can’t be fitted, however they are also used to great effect in large bathrooms where they can be individually turned on and off to help create an ambience.

Another alternative is the back-lit bathroom mirror light which is a more expensive option. Generally these are 13 watt and no transformer is required with most models. Another benefit of having a larger illuminated mirror is that it is more suitable for hair and make-up use, as well as shaving. Multi function mirrors incorporate a light, demister pad and built in shaver point.

The above is only a guide to the types of bathroom lighting available. Having seen the main choices on offer, it is best to go and look at your bathroom again, bearing these in mind and decide what the priorities are for your personal taste.

Take any measurements you think you will need, then going along to a retailer and see exactly what would suit you best.