Guide to Closet Light Spacing, Fire Clearances, Fire Safety
- POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about fire safety considerations in spacing light fixtures in closets
Closet lighting design specifications & clearances: this article discusses proper lighting for closets and closet light spacing for fire safety.
This article series details guidelines for selecting and installing interior lighting to meet the requirements for different building areas.
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Closet Lighting Selection & Installation - Fire Safety Clearances
This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction (Steve Bliss, J Wiley & Sons) , by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons.
Due to risk of fire, the International Building Code and the National Electrical Code require that all fixtures installed in closets must be either surface-mounted or recessed and must completely enclose the bulb. Only incandescent or fluorescent lamps are allowed.
In addition, the fixture must be installed either in the wall above the door or on the ceiling and have the following clearances:
- For surface-mounted incandescent fixtures: 12 inches to the nearest point of clothing or storage space.
- For surface-mounted fluorescent fixtures: 6 inches to the nearest point of clothing or storage space.
- For recessed fluorescent or incandescent fixtures (with a completely enclosed lamp): 6 inches to the nearest point of clothing or storage space.
Watch out: Check with local code officials in your own jurisdiction for specific lighting and electrical safety requirements.
Lighting Options Update - 2012 IRC allows LEDs
4/12/14 Richard Ellis
Lighting options needs to be updated to reflect 2012 edition of IRC. Section E4003.12 Luminaries in Clothes Closets now allows:
- surface mounted or recessed incandescent or LED luminaires with completely enclosed light sources
- surface mounted or recessed fluorescent luminaires
- surface mounted fluorescent or LED luminaires identified as suitable for installation within a closet storage area
Reader comment: 2012 IRC on Luminaries in Clothes Closets - update
(Apr 10, 2014) Richard Ellis said:
Lighting options needs to be updated to reflect 2012 edition of IRC. Section E4003.12 Luminaries in Clothes Closets now allows:
- surface mounted or recessed incandescent or LED luminaires with completely enclosed light sources
- surface mounted or recessed fluorescent luminaires
- surface mounted fluorescent or LED luminaires identified as suitable for installation within a closet storage area
Reply:
Excellent point, Richard. Indeed we have been changing out to LED bulbs in a number of locations where the lower heat is a significant benefit in addition to longer life, such as not just closets but pot light that were forming natural heat loss chimneys in cathedral ceilings.
Resources: Manufacturers, Industry Associations, & Sources of Indoor Wall Materials, Flooring, Carpeting, Lighting, Sound Control Materials
Industry & Trade Associations for Lighting and Other Interior Components in buildings
American Lighting Association www.americanlightingassoc.com
- - Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction (Steve Bliss, J Wiley & Sons) .
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Continue reading at LED BULB & LIGHTING TYPES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.
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Citations & References
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
- Steve Bliss's Building Advisor at buildingadvisor.com helps homeowners & contractors plan & complete successful building & remodeling projects: buying land, site work, building design, cost estimating, materials & components, & project management through complete construction. Email: info@buildingadvisor.com
Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com - Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
- Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
- "Simplified Electrical Wiring," Sears, Roebuck and Co., 15705 (F5428) Rev. 4-77 1977 [Lots of sketches of older-type service panels.]
- "How to plan and install electric wiring for homes, farms, garages, shops," Montgomery Ward Co., 83-850.
- "Electrical System Inspection Basics," Richard C. Wolcott, ASHI 8th Annual Education Conference, Boston 1985.
- "Simplified Electrical Wiring," Sears, Roebuck and Co., 15705 (F5428) Rev. 4-77 1977 [Lots of sketches of older-type service panels.]
- "How to plan and install electric wiring for homes, farms, garages, shops," Montgomery Ward Co., 83-850.
- "Home Wiring Inspection," Roswell W. Ard, Rodale's New Shelter, July/August, 1985 p. 35-40.
- "Evaluating Wiring in Older Minnesota Homes," Agricultural Extension Service, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108.
- "Electrical Systems," A Training Manual for Home Inspectors, Alfred L. Alk, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 1987, available from ASHI. [DF NOTE: I do NOT recommend this obsolete publication, though it was cited in the original Journal article as it contains unsafe inaccuracies]
- "Basic Housing Inspection," US DHEW, S352.75 U48, p.144, out of print, but is available in most state libraries.
- In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.
- Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME .
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.
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