Loft insulation on top of downlighters?

grumpycrab

Hi - there are some downlights (ROBUS 12V fire rated) in the ceiling upon which I was going to put insulation (rockwool). Is this safe? Or do I need to keep the downlight bodies vented?

Hintza

You need to keep them vented (especially if full halogen GU10 bulbs). Hoods are expensive and a suitable alternative are flower posts of sufficient size. Leave the hole in the bottom of the pot uncovered by rockwool.

If nothing else the bulbs will overheat and blow if they are covered by rockwool.

iharding

I had some plastic drainpipe spare. That does the job, cut into suitable lengths.

Gastines2

iharding wrote: »

I had some plastic drainpipe spare. That does the job, cut into suitable lengths.

Whilst I'm all for saving a few bob on any jobs I do,I wonder if these ideas might give you problems if you have any insurance claims with fire or wiring,especially roof areas? Any reason not to pay out!!

Ectophile

Would plastic drainpipe be heat-proof enough? From what I have heard, the usual unofficial way of keeping the loft insulation off is upturned terracotta plant pots (the sort with a hole in the base).

fwor

I wouldn't consider anything in plastic.

Cheapest thing that I found to do the job in a completely fireproof way was inverted stainless steel colanders at £1 each from (predictably) the local poundshop. You need to break off the handles that stick up, but that's not hard.

Terracotta pots should be Ok too, but you need to keep the weight down as plasterboard isn't very rigid...

tony6403

For goodness sake , buy some intumescent downlight covers.

fwor

tony6403 wrote: »

For goodness sake , buy some intumescent downlight covers.

Last time I looked, they were at least £8 each. I have 24 downlights on the second floor of a 2-story property. I don't ~need~ to fit intumescent downlight covers because there is no habitable space above - I just want to stop them overheating.

£24 for colanders or £190+ for the "real" thing?

grumpycrab

Colanders - great! I can hear my missus "where have you put the colander this time?" Its above you...