When most people think of IP-rated lighting fixtures, they often think of outdoor environments - protecting lights from rain and dust on outdoor stages or architectural installations. But what's often overlooked, is how valuable IP-rated lights can be indoors, too. From theatres and clubs to live music venues and event spaces, there are plenty of reasons why an IP rating isn't just for the great outdoors.
Indoor Environments Aren't as Clean as You Think
Even the most well-maintained venues can be harsh on lighting fixtures. Think about what’s floating around in the air: dust, haze and smoke fluid residue, confetti, drinks sprayed or thrown from the crowd. All of this can find its way into your fixtures. Over time, these contaminants can build up on fans, optics, and internal components, reducing performance, shortening lifespan, and causing unexpected failures.
Less Cleaning, Less Downtime, Less Cost
Keeping fixtures clean and fully functional isn’t just about preserving light output. It's not a quick and easy job, so there is a major time and cost factor to consider. To properly service a non-IP rated fixture, you need to:
- Get access equipment or scaffolding to reach it
- Take the fixture down
- Strip it apart to clean the inside
- Reassemble it and rehang it
Even for the most efficient service teams, that's a lot of labour hours. And, every time a fixture is opened up, there's a risk that components can be damaged or the fixture isn't reassembled correctly, adding unreliability to your rig.
IP-rated fixtures eliminate most of that hassle. Their sealed design keeps contaminants out, so you spend far less time cleaning and servicing them. Over a year or two, that can translate into significant savings in maintenance costs and downtime, especially in venues with high rigging points or large lighting inventories.
If you're providing ongoing maintenance services to a venue, this can work in your favour too. You can still charge them a service contract, but significantly minimise the time it takes to fulfil your service commitments, thus helping minimise your labour costs and maximise your profits.
A Smarter Long-Term Investment
While IP-rated fixtures may cost a little more upfront (although you might be surprised that's not always the case!), they’re a smarter long-term investment. Less maintenance, fewer breakdowns, and longer intervals between servicing all add up.
It’s Not Just About Rain Protection
IP ratings aren't just about surviving the weather. It's about protecting your investment, reducing ongoing maintenance costs, and ensuring your rig performs it's best night after night. When you're next specifying a lighting rig to a theatre, club, music venue or events space, why not look at the IP-rated options available and recommend it to your client. If you can sell the benefits summarised in this blog post, you might be able to upsell and increase the project's value.
Browse our range of IP-rated lighting fixtures here or call our experts on 01525 850085 to discuss your lighting requirements.
