Can You Insulate Around Recessed Lights

But here s another solution which you can do yourself.

Can you insulate around recessed lights.

If you re lucky you can pull the old mounting bracket out through the existing hole. Insulation should be kept away from recessed can lights because the insulation does not allow the heat generated by the lights to dissipate. If you have recessed lighting in your ceiling it can get in the way when you want to insulate the attic because the canisters might get hot enough to ignite the insulation. The best solution is to avoid putting any recessed lights in cathedral ceilings.

When heat builds up in a recessed can light it can. You could hire an electrician to replace each fixture with a sealed one rated for insulation contact ic. These fixtures are sealed to stop airflow. Replacement can be challenging.

Go to a home center and buy a fire rated recessed light cover like the ones made by tenmat for every fixture. In addition they have gasketed edges to seal them to the drywall. However if you want them use type ic airtight fixtures available at lighting stores and home centers. The heat that recessed lights produce can affect temperature in the attic and in the room in which they shine.

Since you mentioned your cans have holes in them they are most definitely not ic rated. Smartcap attic recessed light cover is a pre assembled easy to install fire rated recessed light cover that simply unfolds into a perfect cap over non ic rated attic light fixtures requiring a 3 gap between fixture and insulation. You can insulate more effectively if the cans are ic rated.