Firehoods for downlighters.

[Stevie5tapes]

Hi all,

I've had a extension built with a view to having a loft conversion. I'm planning on turning the loft space above the extension into a bathroom (this is long term plan). Meanwhile as the builder put in load bearing joists (7 inch) for the future i'm thinking of boarding this part for storage. The ceiling of the room below has downlights in that havent got firehoods.

My questions are this if anyone can help me?

There is insulation between the joists but well cut back from the lights to prevent fire, do I need a firehood over each light if I board the loft out?

Also, if I need firehoods how do you fit them? Is the light left in place and it just sits over the top?

Many thanks for any replies.

 

[Chri5]

Steve

The old requirement was a need for caps when the ceiling your lights are in is the divider between you and another property.

I'm not sure if it's every council, but more are asking for caps in any property that goes above 1st floor level.

Your builder should know, but failing that make a general inquiry with the building control staff at the council.

have a look at the product below, all are self explanatory in use- blobs of glue or mastic tend to be used to keep a cap

 

[ban-all-sheds]

A very important concept to get your head around is that downlighters (if by that term you mean lights which take 2" diameter reflector bulbs) are useless at lighting up rooms.

In fact, they are specifically designed to not light up rooms - it is not for nothing that they are often referred to as "spotlights". That format of lighting came out of the retail display environment and they are designed to produce tight beams of light (even the "wide angle" ones) to illuminate individual items or specific features.

Whenever you go anywhere where you see them used for general illumination count up how many are used for a given room area and think how many are used and compare that to how many 100W pendants would be needed. I'm not saying that 100W pendants are the only sensible alternative - there are all sorts of light designs and lamp types you can use, and if you want recessed lights then you can have them.

But not small ones - trying to light up a room with what are, basically, mains powered torches set into the ceiling is just hideously inefficient. Fiddling with lamp types doesn't work - in any like-for-like comparison of the wattage you need 2" recessed lights will always perform really badly.

 

[Terry2sheds]

If instead of using caps in a loft space, you raise the height of the ceiling supporting joists and board over, so that suitable air space is allowed around the downlighter, insulated above the ceiling with areas around the downlighters left so that they cannot come into contact with the lights, then insulate above the new higher boards all across the area, would this be acceptable?