Full Description

Lighting equipment that is permanently installed in buildings need to meet specific standards to obtainsafety listings. Recessed luminaires (lighting fixtures can be divided into two classifications: ones that arerated only for use with clear space around them and those that can be in partial or full contact withbuilding insulation). The latter are normally referred to as IC rated.

There are numerous luminaire types on the market that have been tested and are rated for use in contactwith insulation material utilized in building construction. However, the testing procedures and assumptionsof this rating are associated with blown-in or batting-type dry insulation. The insulation material whichcovers the luminaire reduces heat flow from the luminaire that would normally be transferred to thesurrounding air. Equipment safety testing takes such reduced thermal flow into account during the testingto achieve an IC rating.

The use of liquid spray-in place expanding foam has started to see application as another type ofinsulation used in buildings in the past few years. Although it has excellent insulating capabilities, itscharacteristics are markedly different than blown-in insulation.

The following information reviews practical aspects of applying spray foam insulation that may come intocontact with luminaires in various building applications.

Product Details

Published: 11/22/2013 Number of Pages: 5