The Best Lights for Steamy Bathrooms

Many people wonder if bathroom lighting requires special consideration, compared to other lights in the house. The answer, unsurprisingly, is yes - but there are only a few simple requirements you need to know before you'll be able to choose the perfect bathroom lights for you.

General bathroom lighting rules

We all know that water and electricity don't mix too well. So bathroom lights need to be manufactured to tolerances that bedroom lighting, for example, doesn't in order to make sure they're water-resistant. The way you tell whether a light is suitable for a bathroom or not is to check its IP rating.

The IP rating is a global system used to determine whether your light is suitable for use in your bathroom or not - and which zone it would be best suited for. Bathrooms are generally split up into four zones of where you intend to place the light, and zone determines what IP rating you'll need:

• Zone 0 - a light submerged in water, for example in a bathtub/ wetroom floor. IP67 minimum required.

• Zone 1 - lights placed directly over a bathtub or shower. IP67 minimum required.

• Zone 2 - most common, generally placed in centre of room. IP44 minimum required.

• Zone 3 - anywhere else where no water jets are to be used. IP20 minimum recommended, but not required.

What about steamy bathrooms?

Some bathrooms, particularly bathrooms with a large amount of open space, can be prone to becoming particularly steamy, so which lights should you choose here?

It's still up to your style preferences, your taste, and the minimum IP rating for the zone your light will be fitted, but you still have a variety of options to choose from.

Consider first ensuring that you choose a fixture that puts out cool light, such as a fluorescent or LED light. A hot light will cause any condensation or water that attach to it to turn into steam, making the bathroom even more steamy than normal. If your bathroom has issues with ventilation, an extractor fan can be a valuable investment to help suck excess steam out without needing to open a window.

Your Design Choices

Ultimately as long as the IP rating is suitable for your bathroom zone, it's up to you what you choose. There are many styles available, ranging from bathroom wall lights, through to low-level bathroom lights, and even flush/integrated style lights.

If your bathroom is particularly steamy, you might want to consider multiple spotlights. This will mean that more light can be shined around the whole open space, rather than one single pendant light having to illuminate the whole room. This can both increase visibility when it's steamy, as well as reduce dark spots.

Whichever bathroom lights you choose, be mindful of the space you have. Unless you have a particularly large bathroom, a smaller fixture will likely give you a better feeling of open space. Consider also combinations of corner lights, spotlights, and lights integrated into mirrors and other fixtures.

Find your perfect bathroom lights at Arrow Electrical today.

Image credit: istockphoto.com