I am a homeowner and not a member of your organization. I hope that you will review my question.
We had an “energy efficient” house built many years ago, with 6-inch walls and extra installation. Unfortunately, the approximate 25 recessed 6-inch light fixtures we had installed are the type that cannot have installation within 3 inches of the can, so these fixtures provided an area for energy loss. There is also high energy use when the floodlight bulbs are turned on (not sure the wattage).
I have seen some LED retrofit units (e.g. those by CREE) that just screw into the existing bulb receptacle. The LED lights are substantially cooler than the 150 watt incandescent floodlights. If I converted the lights to the LED unit, could I install insulation to touch / cover the can. The big question is… Would doing that meet inspector approval?
No ,cans are either rated IC or they are not.
When in the attic first thing a inspector will notice is if the fixture housing has slots that indicate need clearance.
I suggest you have the clearance requirements met .
Someone may come along and change those bulbs cool to the touch or not some time in the future.
Make a duct board box for each light or switch to a IC rated housing.
You will find instructions for construction online through search.
you can build or buy a cover to install over recessed lighting that are accessible from an attic space.
The primary problem is not just that the area above is not insulated that that these lights leak like hell! There are retrofit kits to reduce these air leaks. Or you can just change out the light fixtures.
To be perfectly honest with you and LED light may not reach temperatures as high as incandescent and could be insulated without overloading the fixture temperature set point.
However, your greatest efficiency loss is not due to conduction through the uninsulated light fixture but convection of air leakage (thermal bypass) where the light fixture penetrates the building envelope vapor barrier.
I still would not suggest using LED’S David because as mentioned if someone else comes along and does not have a expensive LED bulb handy will put in a hot bulb and that could lead to a problem however getting the box is a good idea.
Personally I think they should always use the IC rated when they “can” .
Before all this new technology came out, all one did was add the insulation and make sure it was pulled away from the fixture. Today, with all the new stuff, energy audits, there is no limit as to how far one can go to make it right, energy right that is.
Fixture should be changed to an IC rated or settle for the medium of the insulation cover.