Bathroom heater IP rating
Updated: October 2026
You have seen IP22 or IP24 on a bathroom heater and you need to know whether that code is the zone rule. The bathroom heater IP rating that matters is the water digit, and in zones 1 and 2 that digit has to be at least 4. IP22 fails that line. IP24 meets the digit and still does not, by itself, mean the heater is approved for zone 1. The five listings are on the [bathroom fan heater comparison](/hub/portable-heaters/bathroom-fan-heater). There is no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You have seen IP22 or IP24 on a bathroom heater and you need to know whether that code is the zone rule.
You have seen IP22 or IP24 on a bathroom heater and you need to know whether that code is the zone rule. The bathroom heater IP rating that matters is the water digit, and in zones 1 and 2 that digit has to be at least 4. IP22 fails that line. IP24 meets the digit and still does not, by itself, mean the heater is approved for zone 1. The five listings are on the bathroom fan heater comparison. There is no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | IP code | Water digit | Voltage | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Dreo Dreo DR-HSH017S | IP24 | 4, splash | 120 V | 7.0 | about £119.99 | View offer |
 Winterwarm Winterwarm WWDF20E | IP22 | 2, drip when tilted | 240 V | 8.6 | about £59.99 | View offer | |
| Best value |  TCP TCP Smart 2000 W | IP22 | 2, drip when tilted | 220–240 V | 7.8 | about £60 | View offer |
On this page
The second digit is the one that gets wet
An IP code’s second digit is water. IPX4 means the solid digit is not what the rule specifies. Digit 2 is dripping water when the unit is tilted. Digit 4 is splash from any direction. Winterwarm and TCP print IP22 and still say bathroom. Dreo prints IP24 and does not say zone 1. Sandrem and Eterna print no code. A pull cord does not add a water digit.
Zones 0, 1 and 2 in one room
SELECT’s guide to BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 Section 701 draws three zones. Zone 0 is inside the bath or shower tray. Zone 1 is above the bath or tray, up to 2.25 m. Zone 2 is the next 0.60 m beyond zone 1. Equipment in zones 1 and 2 needs at least IPX4. High on the wall can still be zone 1 if it is above the bath.
What this set actually prints
The Winterwarm at £59.99 prints IP22, 240 V and a 30-minute run, with 4.4 from 1,104 reviews. The code is still 22. The TCP at £60 prints IP22 and 220–240 V. A plug does not raise digit 2 to digit 4. The Dreo at £119.99 prints IP24 and a 120 V field, and does not say zone 1. IP24 is the only water digit here that matches the zone number. Sandrem and Eterna print no IP code. Two Eterna reviewers returned the heater because the sheet excluded bathroom zones. Who the Winterwarm is for is on the best bathroom fan heater page.
Sockets are a distance, not a loophole
A 13 A socket does not repair a weak IP code. SELECT allows 13 A sockets only beyond 2.5 m from the zone 1 boundary, and only on a 30 mA RCD. Electrical Safety First uses at least 2.5 m from the bath or tray, apart from a shaver supply, and says not to use an extension lead. The 3 m figure in Approved Document P (2013) is the older note. A small bathroom often cannot meet 2.5 m. Cutting a plug off still leaves IP22, and it is an electrician’s decision. Part P applies in England and Wales. It is not a Scotland rule.
Common questions
What IP rating does a bathroom heater need?
In zones 1 and 2, Section 701 of BS 7671 asks for at least IPX4. The second digit is the water digit, and 4 means splash from any direction. If water jets are likely, the same section asks for IPX5. Zone 0, inside the bath or tray, is not a place for these heaters. Beyond zone 2 the maker’s instructions still apply. The X in IPX4 means the solid digit is unspecified.
Is IP22 the same as IPX4?
No. IP22 has water digit 2, dripping water when the unit is tilted. IPX4 has water digit 4, splash from any direction. Winterwarm and TCP both print IP22 and both use bathroom in the sales text. That wording does not change the digit. High on the wall inside zone 1 does not turn digit 2 into digit 4.
What is the difference between zone 1 and zone 2?
Zone 1 is above the bath or shower tray, up to 2.25 m, or up to the fixed shower head if that head is higher. Zone 2 is the next 0.60 m beyond zone 1. Zone 0 is the interior of the bath or tray, and no heater in this set belongs there. Both zone 1 and zone 2 need at least IPX4. There is no current zone 3 in this Section 701 reading.
Does IP24 mean the heater is approved for zone 1?
No. IP24 matches the water digit the rule names. Approval for zone 1 is a sentence in the maker’s instructions, not a digit on its own. The Dreo prints IP24 and does not say zone 1. Its voltage field also says 120 V. Do not describe any heater in this set as approved for zone 1.
Where can a 13 A socket go?
SELECT’s Section 701 guide allows a 13 A socket only beyond 2.5 m from the zone 1 boundary, with a 30 mA RCD. Electrical Safety First uses at least 2.5 m from the bath or tray, apart from a shaver supply. The 3 m figure in Approved Document P (2013) is the older note. An extension lead does not move the socket.
What if the listing only says water resistant?
Then you do not have an IP code. Sandrem prints no digits, and one review’s splash-proof claim is not a listing code. Eterna prints no digits either, and the instruction sheet excludes zones 0, 1 and 2. If the zone needs digit 4, a blank cell is a skip, not a benefit of the doubt.
Does a pull cord change the IP requirement?
No. A pull cord is a switch. It does not add a water digit. The Winterwarm has a pull cord and prints IP22. An IPX4 downflow can have a pull cord too. You still read the second digit, and you still keep the heater out of zone 0.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources for bathroom zones, IP codes, plugs and the hourly arithmetic. Listing prices, stars and review counts are from amazon.co.uk. Last checked 21 October 2026.
- Electrical Safety First — Bathroom (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- SELECT pocket guide — BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 Section 701 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- IET — Section 701 note (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Approved Document P (2013) (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 — guidance (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- BS EN 60335-2-30 — room heater safety scope (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Assimilated regulation 2015/1188 Annex II (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Ofgem — energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (retrieved 21 October 2026)