Recessed lighting

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Would this be a problem? Recessed light fixtures totally covered by cel. insulation in the attic. Theses fixtures only had 40 watt bulbs in them, but I can see where higher wattage bulbs may create a lot of heat.

[tneumann]

Depends on the rating.....there are some recessed lights that are rated for use like this...they are IC rated....Insulated Ceiling Rated....but you'd have to check them all..should be on the housing eh?

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Now from what I can see it looks like a enclosed IC can itself which would allow it to be in contact with insulation..However, I still hate to see them covered with insulation like this...but it walks the fine line of IC rating and the "In Contact " type rating.

If possible look on the inside of the can itself and see if you see a black thermal overload....may be noticeable inside the units can itself..however sometimes they are on the side of the actual attached junction box.

[jlybolt]

Sometimes if I cant verify the type of fixture, I use the following statement

Recessed light fixtures that are installed in insulated ceilings can represent a fire hazard if they are not suitably rated for this application. Unfortunately, it is difficult to verify that the installation has been made safely, during a home inspection. It is recommended that a licensed electrician be engaged to verify the safety of the system.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

Would this be a problem? Recessed light fixtures totally covered by cel. insulation in the attic. Theses fixtures only had 40 watt bulbs in them, but I can see where higher wattage bulbs may create a lot of heat.

Attachment 944

If I can get to one in the attic I will move some insulation and look for a warning label. This one had the label on top said it needed 3" clearance.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Thanks guy for all your help. On this light, a label wasn't readily apparent.

I like jlybolt's statement.