Do you have an incandescent light fixture in your closet? Is your closet light safe?

Would you please go and check it right now…


We rarely pay attention to our closet light, for as long as it works. Stacking cardboard boxes and plastic bags filled with old clothing or Christmas gifts wrapping paper against that exposed, glowing light bulb – be careful, don’t burn yourself.

Don’t burn your house down either; it doesn’t take that much effort. Improperly installed closet lights and wrong types of closet lights might easily create a fire. All it takes is a turned ON exposed incandescent type light bulb, and a piece of your clothing touching it or just being close to it.

Every time you turn that closet light fixture ON, ignition temperature of a combustible material next to the light bulb will gradually drop. You might not even notice when the fire starts until is too late… at least make sure that you have functional smoke detectors.

The solution to a hazardous closet light fixture is very simple and not that expensive – replace it with a proper type light fixture or correct installation of the existing one if possible.

Since you should always update to the latest building / electrical code, this is what 2008 NEC (National Electrical Code) says about the closet lights.



Types of permitted closet light fixtures:

• Surface mounted or recessed type incandescent light fixtures with a completely enclosed light bulb – this eliminates still popular pull chain (or no chain) plastic / porcelain base light fixtures with an incandescent (regular type) light bulb from being used in closets. Simply because there is no enclosure that would completely cover the light bulb and the lampshade is not a solution!

• Surface mounted or recessed fluorescent type light fixtures

• Surface mounted fluorescent or LED type light fixtures that are listed / identified as permitted in a storage area

Not permitted closet light fixtures:

• Open or partially open incandescent type light fixtures (already explained above), and pendants

Locations / minimum clearances between the closet light fixtures and the closest storage space:

Closet light installed on the wall above the closet door or on the ceiling

1. Completely enclosed surface-mounted incandescent or LED closet light -12”
2. Surface mounted fluorescent – 6”

Closet light recessed in the wall or ceiling

1. Completely enclosed incandescent or LED light source – 6”
2. Recessed fluorescent – 6”

Surface mounted fluorescent or LED closet lights are permitted only if identified for such installation.

There’s actually one more, very safe and not listed in the electrical code book – battery type

Did I already ask you to check your closet…?