Don’t Forget the Boxes

The NEC code requires that any wires connected to each other or attached to a fixture or device must be enclosed in a box with a cover plate. This means that receptacles, switches, lights, wall heaters, anything that requires electricity will have its wiring housed in a box. A box serves a number of purposes:

• It serves as a point of attachment for a device or a fixture. (It has to be screwed to something.)
• It keeps wires that could short and then spark away from wood framing, decreasing the possibility of fire.
• It protects people from accidental exposure to wires and possible shock.

There are boxes for every purpose: ceiling lights, retrofitting fixtures into existing walls, weatherproof designs for outdoor use, and junctions for wire connections that aren’t immediately attached to a device or fixture. As with switches and receptacles, you’ll have to choose the right box for the job at hand.