When buying a home, your home inspector may find this common electrical defect especially in older homes as the photos show below. People don’t often think about the fire risks posed by the light fixture in their clothes closet, but it’s one of the few places in the house where a source of high heat can get too close to flammable materials. Lighting must be installed safely with adequate separation from clothes, boxes and other flammables stored in the closet.  Additionally, the quality of the light, as well as bulb efficiency, will influence your lighting choices. 

Clearances permitted by the 2003 Michigan Residential Code, E3903.11 Luminaries in clothes closets.

1. Surface-mounted incandescent luminaries shall be installed on the wall above the door or on the ceiling, provided there is a minimum clearance of 12 inches (305 mm) between the fixture and the nearest point of a storage space.

2. Surface-mounted fluorescent luminaries shall be installed on the wall above the door or on the ceiling, provided there is a minimum clearance of 6 inches (152 mm) between the fixture and the nearest point of a storage space.

3. Recessed incandescent luminaries with a completely enclosed lamp shall be installed in the wall or the ceiling provided there is a minimum clearance of 6 inches (152 mm) between the luminaries and the nearest point of a storage space.

4. Recessed fluorescent luminaries shall be installed in the wall or on the ceiling provided there is a minimum clearance of 6 inches (152 mm) between the fixture and the nearest point of a storage space.

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