When you install recessed can lights in your home, you are cutting a big hole in the ceiling. Even if the light fixture is snug, not sealed, air will still spill through. Warm air rises, and when it gets through the light fixture and into the cold attic, it can lead to a lot of major problems, including ice dams. Insulating and sealing can lights is very important, and in this post I want to share some tips for how to get the job done.
There are a few different ratings for recessed can lights. One type allows insulating to touch the fixture (IC rated), while another will lead to an attic fire if the insulation is touching it (all other ratings). It’s extremely important that you know the difference between the two. Loose pack attic insulation is almost impossible to contain without building some sort of dam around the light fixture, so non-IC rated fixtures and loose insulation don’t work well together.
The easiest and safest way to get this job done is to add a gasket on the attic side of your light fixture that will stop air from passing through. Many fixtures will include a gasket, but they are also available from hardware stores. If you have no luck finding a gasket, you can also use a silicone caulking.
Air can also pass through the section where the light bulb plugs in. Covered can lights can help stop this air from passing, but make changing bulbs much tougher and increase the chance of condensation.
Insulating recessed can lights isn’t an easy job, especially with older lights. Many times, it’s best to install new, IC rated, lights to help prevent drafts.
It bears repeating that you don’t try and add insulation around non IC lights. The risk of fire is serious, and attic fires always do an incredible amount of damage to the home. Play it safe and do it right.
Insulating recessed can lights is a job that most homeowners can do on their own. It’s just a matter of figuring out the proper setup to seal them. Follow instructions, and don’t take chances with insulation, and you will stop those leaky can lights!
