Electrical code question

[ACobra289]

I have an old ugly ceiling fan in a place that I don't want any fixture at all. I would like to remove this fan, cap off the wires and patch the ceiling. I know it's against code to cover over a box in a wall, but does this also apply to the ceiling since the box I want to cover over would still be accessible from the attic?

Thanks,
Bill M.

 

[FredP]

I am no expert but i think you are nt allowed to permenantly patch over the box. to be safe I would buy a cover plate that matches the ceiling color and use that. this also allows you to put up a light or another fan in the future and it doesnt challenge codes.

 

[woodworker2000]

Assuming the attic is unfinished and the box is accessible from the attic, I don't see why you couldn't cut the box out, cap the wires and "reverse" the box so it opens into the attic, then patch the hole in the ceiling below.

A more difficult approach might be to trace the wiring back to the closest box and terminate them there. Then you could remove all of the dead wiring and the ceiling box. Hopefully, the box is at the end of a run and not in the middle of one.

 

[russellellis]

you should not cover over or hide any electrical boxes. i agree to just use a round box cover on the ceiling.

NEC 314.19 Junction boxes shall be installed so that the wiring contained in them can be rendered accessible without removing any part of the building.

 

[nelsone]

you should not cover over or hide any electrical boxes. i agree to just use a round box cover on the ceiling.

NEC 314.19 Junction boxes shall be installed so that the wiring contained in them can be rendered accessible without removing any part of the building.

Exactly, which is why you can turn the box over and screw a cover plate on the box. It is still accessible from the attic and you have terminated the wire run in a junction box.

 

[DaveD]

Just don't bury the box under the insulation. If you have to, you could screw a stup 2x4 vertically to the ceiling joist and remount the box high enough so it would end up above the insulation.

 

[ACobra289]

Thanks to everyone that responded for the tips and information.

Bill M.