How High Should I Mount a Light Switch?

[ptradmin]

We covered placement of outlet receptacles in another article, but we were also asked about the location of switches when wiring up a room. While the NEC doesn't specify the height of switches, it is pretty much standard procedure in most places to put them at 48" on-center. The exception would be for homes where wheelchair-accessibility is a major concern (in which case you can place them around 40").

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[Fumanchew]

I have seen them mounted at all differnt heights. It is kind of funny because one apartment we looked at one must have been wired by a midgit because all the switches where down at knee level....knee level of a regular height person that is!

[PuttyMonster]

One thing to watch out for is the height when placed in bathrooms with funky wall tile. You don't, for example, want to put a switch in the middle of a row of tiled chair rail.

[Grackel]

Howdy,

I have an entryway thats about 3" higher than the grade for the rest of the living area. There is a 5' partition wall off of oneside of the entryway that gives separation between the entryway itself and the kitchen area. I'm planning on installing switches on both sides of the partition wall. My question is if I can stack the gang boxes for the switches back to back inside the wall due to the difference in grade level (entryway being higher than rest of living area) or if there is another route I can take?

Thanks!

[Everett]

If I understand you correctly, yes. It's actually more of a convenience thing, as the height of a switch isn't regulated to the extent that you'd have any issues with an offset box on either side of the wall.