Code Question

Mike Finley

Electrical inspector looked up at the recessed cans today and said "Texturing the walls and ceiling? Make sure you cover the cans, you can't have any texture splatter in them."

This is a new one for me, maybe I just haven't been around. This is code?

mdshunk

Paint and plaster contamination of recessed luminaires has always been forbidden, but there's no specific code on the matter. Obviously, paint and plaster may not contaminate the metal parts of the inside of the lampholder socket, and can't obliterate the required labeling on the inside of the can. If the paint or plaster is other places, such as on the metal of the can, the inspector would be hard pressed to come up with a violation.

Mike Finley

Interesting. Well, they will have the cleanest cans in town on this job. Easier to just stuff em and keep em clean then ruffle his feathers.

mdshunk

Most brands of recessed cans come with a little plastic cap inside the lampholder socket to prevent paint contamination. Most painters stuff a big wad of brown paper in the cans anyhow.

Same thing with your wall boxes. You can't, or rather shouldn't, paint the wires in the boxes. Some of those wires are required to be certain colors. Most of the better painters will jam some paper in the wall boxes. It also keeps their sprayer from stirring up all the drywall dust that's inevidably hiding out in the wall boxes. It's a huge backcharge for a paint contaminated panelbox, as the manufacturers have pretty strict paint contamination rules for breaker boxes.

mdshunk

That's right. I lack the energy most times to battle city hall. Easier to go with the flow, unless it's going to cost me a bunch of money. It'll only take a few minutes for you to jam some paper in those cans.