- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Is a lighting outlet required in a pantry?
Pantry Lighting Outlet
- Thread starter infinity
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
mgookin
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Dwelling. I agree with Dennis, it's not a habitable room and although it's generally used for storage it's not on the list of required lighting outlets for storage areas.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I kind of agree. A pantry that is just a shallow closet or even a cabinet may get sufficient light from the adjacent room. However a lot of houses built the last 10-20 years have huge walk-in pantry, some even have refrigerators/freezers in them. Are these rooms still a "pantry" or do we need to better/more clearly define that space?
When my grandparents still lived on the farm they had a "fruit cellar", with stored food products - and most all of it was grown and preserved on the farm. Would that have been a "pantry"? In their case it was pretty much an area in the basement, though some people had outdoor stand alone cellars or caves for that purpose.
Otherwise I do agree if it is indeed a pantry that a lighting outlet is not required, also if a lighting outlet is installed it doesn't need to be wall switch controlled.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
The 1925 cottage part of our house has a walk-in closet with shelves on three sides that we call (and use as) a pantry. But it definitely needs a light and having a switch is very convenient.
Fortunately it was originally a very small half bath and so it has a switch-controlled lighting outlet over where the wash basin used to be.
My take is that if you can walk in and close the door it needs a lighting outlet, especially because there is no place for a floor or table lamp. But that is arguably a design issue rather than a safety issue.
Fortunately it was originally a very small half bath and so it has a switch-controlled lighting outlet over where the wash basin used to be.
My take is that if you can walk in and close the door it needs a lighting outlet, especially because there is no place for a floor or table lamp. But that is arguably a design issue rather than a safety issue.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
But it definitely needs a light and having a switch is very convenient.
Needs one by code or it would be nice to have one?
I agree that it is not required and more of a design thing but the customer will most likely want good lighting if it's big enough.
Saw an old house with once with a good size walk in pantry that had a light- an old porcelain lh w/ string and with the deep shelving scheme and 14' ceiling, that 60 watt bulb wasn't much.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I have a walk-in pantry off of the kitchen about 6X8. This room would be pretty useless at night without a light. I can't believe that the NEC hasn't found a need to make this a requirement. :roll:
- Location
- Massachusetts
I doubt many ECs wiring homes with 6x8 walk-in pantries are not putting lighting outlets in those spaces.
Much like the NEC would allow bedroom light switches to be located on the wall of the basement.
In both cases unsatisfied customers would hurt the ECs business.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
I treat them like a closet.
My daughter had recepts above the countertop in hers.
My daughter had recepts above the countertop in hers.
mgookin
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
If this is a loaded question we can dig into code and solve it.
The area is not habitable but it is occupiable which generally requires egress, lighting & ventilation. I think anyone would use common sense and say I'm not going to require or install a light in a pantry cupboard 2' deep but a 10x10 room labeled "Pantry" on a set of plans should "probably" have one (required may differ).
A way to determine if something is a room is the dimension test of the longest perpendicular horizontal dimensions where neither dimension is <7'. (kitchens & restrooms have exceptions or additional criteria as do areas with sloped ceilings). But I'm not saying that's your answer.
Is this something we need to spend a 1/2 hour of research on?
The area is not habitable but it is occupiable which generally requires egress, lighting & ventilation. I think anyone would use common sense and say I'm not going to require or install a light in a pantry cupboard 2' deep but a 10x10 room labeled "Pantry" on a set of plans should "probably" have one (required may differ).
A way to determine if something is a room is the dimension test of the longest perpendicular horizontal dimensions where neither dimension is <7'. (kitchens & restrooms have exceptions or additional criteria as do areas with sloped ceilings). But I'm not saying that's your answer.
Is this something we need to spend a 1/2 hour of research on?
- Location
- Massachusetts
I guess we need to because it kind of sounds like you make up you mind based on your feelings more than code.
mgookin
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
I guess we need to because it kind of sounds like you make up you mind based on your feelings more than code.
My mind is not made up. I just put some information out there.
So how big is the "pantry"?
- Location
- Massachusetts
I was just messing with ya.
Do you run into a lot of large pantries that ECs are not providing lights for?
My point is we may be struggling to fix a problem that does not exist.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
As we often hear, size does not matter. In most case the NEC is not concerned with size. As stated earlier by Bob (I think) a light will be install in the pantry but does the code require it-- that is the question. IMO, no it does not
mgookin
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
That's cool. :thumbsup:
Can't say I ever have.
My point is we may be struggling to fix a problem that does not exist.
And that's why I asked if it was a loaded question. :slaphead:
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