Can You Insulate Around Recessed Lights

Since you mentioned your cans have holes in them they are most definitely not ic rated.

Can you insulate around recessed lights.

These fixtures are sealed to stop airflow. If you have recessed lighting in your ceiling it can get in the way when you want to insulate the attic because the canisters might get hot enough to ignite the insulation. The heat that recessed lights produce can affect temperature in the attic and in the room in which they shine. Insulation should be kept away from recessed can lights because the insulation does not allow the heat generated by the lights to dissipate.

In addition they have gasketed edges to seal them to the drywall. Make your next attic insulation project that much easier by adding a smartcap attic recessed light cover to your list of hard working insulation accessories. Go to a home center and buy a fire rated recessed light cover like the ones made by tenmat for every fixture. If you re lucky you can pull the old mounting bracket out through the existing hole.

Insulating around recessed lighting. You could hire an electrician to replace each fixture with a sealed one rated for insulation contact ic. In order to cover your recessed light cans with insulation you need to have ic rated insulation contact cans installed regardless of the type of light installed in the can. You can insulate more effectively if the cans are ic rated.

The best solution is to avoid putting any recessed lights in cathedral ceilings. Smartcap attic recessed light cover is a pre assembled easy to install fire rated recessed light cover that simply unfolds into a perfect cap over non ic rated attic light fixtures requiring a 3 gap between fixture and insulation. When heat builds up in a recessed can light it can.