Fire hoods for GU10 lights / ceiling speakers

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What is it about fire hoods for gu10 lights or ceiling speakers, that makes it fire protective?
 
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They are made from fire resistant material which expands into a non combustible char when exposed to high temperatures, the idea being that it will expand and fill the hole in the ceiling to prevent fire passing through the hole for a certain amount of time.

Fire hoods are rarely required in domestic properties.
 
My building inspector tells me that I need them on all my GF lights and ceiling speakers if it means that my ceilings compromise the 30 min fire protection.

Is the outer casing of the fire resistant material made of metal and does it get hot? I guess it's fine for rockwool insulation to surround such lights?
 
"Fire hoods are rarely required in domestic properties."

What? With the exception of concrete floors, they are required pretty much any time you have a non-fire-rated recessed downlight beneath a living space.

In my experience, this happens ALL THE TIME
 
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if it means that my ceilings compromise the 30 min fire protection.

In some domestic situations the fire protection can be specified as
modified 30 minutes ( 15 minutes )
" which was as written on the building control for the timber framed house we built in 1980. The theory ( and I guess practice ) is that no one is going to hang around in a burning building for a quarter of an hour. ( assuming smoke and / or fire alarms have woken them ).

That said the plasterboard of the ceiling is a major part of the fire resistance protecting joists and any holes in it will compromise the fire resistance.

Ceiling speakers, isn't that going to sound like you were sitting under the stage listening to the band instead of being out front listening in the audience. ?
 
Ceiling speakers are a normal part of many 'surround sound' experiences.
 
The theory ( and I guess practice ) is that no one is going to hang around in a burning building for a quarter of an hour. ( assuming smoke and / or fire alarms have woken them ).

Unless they are not physically or mentally able.

Or unless the domestic premises are conversions or multi occupancy or flats, and there is a stay put design/policy.
 
Plaster ceilings are designed to protect the building (and adjacent buildings) not just it's occupants.
 
if it means that my ceilings compromise the 30 min fire protection.

Ceiling speakers, isn't that going to sound like you were sitting under the stage listening to the band instead of being out front listening in the audience. ?

Not with a 7.1 Dolby Atmos system, no. I thought someone with your extensive electronics background would know that, Bernard?
 
Is the outer casing of the fire resistant material made of metal and does it get hot? I guess it's fine for rockwool insulation to surround such lights?

Could anyone answer this? Thx.
 
Is the outer casing of the fire resistant material made of metal and does it get hot?
Fire hoods are generally made from woven fibreglass or similar. Fire rated lights have a metal can on the back.
In normal use the temperature of the metal can will increase, how hot it gets depends on what type of lamp is fitted.
In the event of a fire they get extremely hot, which is when the expanding material does it's thing to seal the hole.

I guess it's fine for rockwool insulation to surround such lights?
Only if you want them to overheat and fail.
Manufacturers will specify the minimum distance between the light and other materials such as insulation. Typically 150mm.

Fire hoods are not an excuse for piling insulation over downlights. They are only there to prevent fire passing through the hole in the ceiling - as in when your house is on fire, and everything in the room below is already destroyed.
 
So how then do you benefit from proper insulation properties in a flat roof if you cant insulate above spot lights etc?

I guess gu10 LED lights are not as hot as halogens so maybe not so much of a problem.
 
So how then do you benefit from proper insulation properties in a flat roof if you can insulate above spot lights etc ?

""if you can NOT insulate above spot lights"" then do not use spot lights to light the room. Instead use sensible lighting designed to light a room. Spot lights light up spots.
 
Please. Not that discussion again. That's been had many times already here with everyone here arguing both sides. It's not practical to have hanging lights in a 2m loft roof. Let's focus on the question rather than a bias towards a particular light. And for the record, I have multiple lighting sources.

And no, they only light up spots if you use narrow angles. A 120 degree spot light is perfect for me in many instances.
 

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