Bathroom & Wet Room Electrical Products Buying Guide

BS 7671 divides a bathroom into three zones, and the zone an accessory falls in determines what you can fit and to what IP rating. Zone 0 is the interior of the bath tub or shower basin — only IPX7-rated, extra-low-voltage (12V SELV) equipment designed for immersion belongs here. Zone 1 is the area directly above zone 0 up to 2.25m above the finished floor; it suits IP65-rated fittings such as enclosed downlights and a correctly rated extractor fan. Zone 2 extends 0.6m horizontally beyond zone 1 (and around a washbasin), and needs accessories rated at least IP44. Anywhere outside the zones still carries a splash risk, so light switches and spurs near a basin are commonly specified at IP44 too. Map these zones before you choose a single product — every later decision depends on it.

The IP (Ingress Protection) code has two digits: the first is protection against solids, the second against water — the higher the second digit, the more water protection. Match it to the zone. Zone 0 requires IPX7, meaning protection against temporary immersion. Zone 1 requires IP65 or better, giving full dust-tightness and protection against water jets, which is why enclosed IP65 downlights are the norm there. Zone 2 requires IP44 as a minimum — protection against solid objects over 1mm and water splashing from any direction. Outside the zones there is no mandatory IP rating, but where splashing is likely, such as a switch beside a washbasin, IP44 is sensible practice. Always buy to at least the zone's figure; a higher rating is acceptable, a lower one is not. BG offers IP-rated accessories suited to these splash and jet conditions.

No — a standard 13A socket-outlet is not permitted within 3 metres horizontally of the boundary of zone 1, which rules it out of almost every domestic bathroom. The single exception is a shaver supply unit complying with BS EN 61558-2-5: it uses an isolating transformer so there is no direct connection to the mains supply, and it must be sited where it is unlikely to be splashed directly. In practice that means mounting it outside zone 2 wherever possible, away from the bath or shower. BG supplies dedicated shaver sockets and dual-voltage shaver supply units built to this standard, often combined with a mirror light or LED, which are the correct and compliant way to provide a charging point for razors and electric toothbrushes in a bathroom.

Bathroom lighting and ventilation must match the zone they occupy. For ceiling and shower-area lights, choose enclosed IP65 downlights so they withstand the steam and water jets typical of zone 1; fittings in zone 2 should be at least IP44. Extractor fans must likewise be rated for their position — an IP-rated fan suited to zone 1 if mounted above the shower, with the right rating for the location elsewhere — and are commonly specified with a timer overrun or a humidistat so they clear moisture after use and reduce condensation. Switch lights and fans with a ceiling-mounted pull-cord inside the room rather than a wall switch in a zone, or place a wall switch outside the door. Heated demister mirrors are a popular addition: choose a zone-appropriate IP-rated mirror, wired on its own fused spur and isolated by a pull-cord, so the demister and lighting are safely controlled.

Inside the bathroom, the safest way to switch a light, fan or heater is a ceiling-mounted pull-cord switch, because it keeps the operator clear of any contact between a wall switch and wet hands. A common arrangement is a pull-cord for the main lighting and a separate fused connection unit, sited outside the zones, feeding fixed appliances such as the extractor fan or a heated mirror so each can be isolated for maintenance. BG manufactures ceiling pull-cord switches, including illuminated and double-pole versions, plus IP44 fused spurs and weatherproof grid units suitable for these duties. Where a wall switch is genuinely needed, keep it outside the zones or fit an IP-rated type with a cord. Plan isolation at the design stage so every fixed load can be safely switched off for cleaning or servicing without disturbing other circuits.

Every circuit serving a bathroom must be protected by a 30mA residual current device (RCD), which disconnects the supply fast enough to protect against electric shock — this is a firm BS 7671 requirement for special locations. Supplementary equipotential bonding of exposed and extraneous metalwork may also be needed; it can be omitted only where all the standard's conditions are met (main bonding present, RCD protection on all circuits, and verified continuity), so it must be assessed on the specific installation rather than assumed. Critically, a bathroom is a 'special location', so the work is notifiable under Building Regulations Part P in England and Wales: it must be carried out, inspected and certified by a registered competent electrician, or notified to building control. Do not treat bathroom wiring as DIY — engage a qualified electrician for the design, installation and certification of the whole job.