Understanding Ingress Protection Ratings (IP55, IP44, etc.): What You Really Need to Know

When choosing an electric heater for a patio, veranda, or warehouse, you often see ratings like IP55 or IP44 . But what do these numbers really mean? Are they reliable? And most importantly: are they rigorously tested?

✅ IP = Ingress Protection Rating

This is an international standard (IEC 60529) that indicates a product's resistance against:

• Solid bodies (dust, sand, etc.)

• Water (rain, splashes, jets…)

Examples:

• IP44 = Protected against splashing water

• IP55 = Protected against dust and powerful water jets

🔬 At Fargau, we don't just settle for a sticker

Many products on the market display an IP rating without actually testing it . At Fargau , all our heaters are:

• Tested in the laboratory (water resistance, corrosion, temperature variations…)

• Compliant with current CE and IP standards

• Compared in real-world conditions against other brands

🌧️ Why is this essential?

Installing outdoor heating without proper protection is risky:

• From a breakdown in the middle of the rain

• From a dangerous short circuit

• Of a product that does not last over time

🧠 In summary:

✔ An outdoor heater must be at least IP55 rated
✔ It must be certified, not just advertised
✔ Fargau, a specialist since 2008, guarantees transparency and real performance