Overlamping: What Is It And How To Avoid It

What it means:
A light fixture has a bulb with a higher wattage than the fixture is designed for.

Code violation?
Yes.

Danger level:
High. The bulb’s intense heat can scorch or melt the socket and insulation on the fixture’s wires, which increases the risk of arcing — sparks that jump through the air from one wire to another — a chief cause of electrical fires. The damage to socket and wires remains even after the bulb has been removed.

Solution:
Stay within the wattage limit listed on all light fixtures made since 1985. For older, unmarked fixtures, use only 60-watt bulbs or smaller.