Sealing up recessed can lights

[Highbeam]

So I've got insulation scheduled to be blown into the attic this next month. In preparation for it I have been completing a bunch of attic projects since it will be much easier to do it with 3" of insulation than to work in 15". Projects like bathroom fans, soffit baffles, and light fixtures. I have added 2 of four proposed 6" recessed can lights into my stove room/living room. We have low ceilings, a ceiling fan, and had no ceiling lights so I wanted a recessed light system. I chose the IC rated, air tight housings, thermal protected, the new construction style since it seems hokey to mount them to sheetrock only.

So after installation I noticed that there is still an air gap between the metal round bowl section of the can and the metal flange section of the fixture that sets on the ceiling. It is an intentional joint of the assembly that is not sealed from the factory. It sits right above the trim piece. Anyway this ring could be sealed with caulk. What do you think? Should I caulk it shut? I can reach up into the light socket and feel air moving slightly right now past my wrist. Might just be the cold radiating from the metal can in the attic though.

The two can lights are pretty impressive. I put the curly CFL bulbs in them and they seem to work very well at lighting up the hearth and surrounding area without a defined circle on the floor. I used the eyeball trim.

 

[steam man]

I have the same issue-I know my recessed lights do leak air into the attic. I have to add insulation but I am going to try and seal the lights with caulk. I wish I never put them in.

Mike

 

[mikeyny]

I am a cellulose contractor in NY. Your contractor should be taking care of any heat loss areas from the living space. Most of the newer reccessed lite can be insulated around safely. Normaly we us special insulated boxes to cover all recessed cans. There is a significant amount of heat loss around them. Sometimes we build boxes out of drywall and spray foam around them to seal them up. All Bath fans should be vented to the outside and the flex pipe should also be insulated. Good luck
Mike Kortz
Albany Insulation

 

[Highbeam]

I am a cellulose contractor in NY. Your contractor should be taking care of any heat loss areas from the living space.

The cans are IC rated and will be insulated. The issue here is air sealing the big leak of the "air tight" can. As a contractor who might be taking care of heat loss areas, would you recommend caulking shut any and all remaining air leaks of the air tight housing? I know they get hot but I don't know if the leak ring is intentional, also, I don't know if my standard caulking material is appropriate for a hosuing designed to be in contact with drywall and insulation.

Lets just assume for a minute that I don't trust my insulation contractor to be thorough in air sealing my home. Not as thorough as I am.

 

[mikeyny]

I believe that ring is to promote air movement within the fixture itself. Although they are ic rated we still put the box over them. It keeps the cellulose from direct contact with the fixture and gives the lite a little breathing rm. If you were using fiberglass batts you would roll it out over the fixture and there would be air space around it because of the bulkiness of the fiberglass. Cellulose will get into every nook and cranny. The Lite covers can be purchased online at jrproducts.com. You really should cover them with something.
Mike

 

[Redox]

I don't think the can is supposed to seal to the ring, but to the ceiling. Maybe just some drywall mud? I am taping up all the pinholes in mine with foil tape.

Chris

 

[iceman]

I believe that ring is to promote air movement within the fixture itself. Although they are ic rated we still put the box over them. It keeps the cellulose from direct contact with the fixture and gives the lite a little breathing rm. If you were using fiberglass batts you would roll it out over the fixture and there would be air space around it because of the bulkiness of the fiberglass. Cellulose will get into every nook and cranny. The Lite covers can be purchased online at jrproducts.com. You really should cover them with something.


Mike

could you check that address cant find the lite covers
thanks!

 

[mikeyny]

(broken link removed) is the correct site. Sorry I forgot about the inc.

 

[mikeyny]

highbeam,
Just curious, what are you guys paying per square ft over your way.

 

[Hogwildz]

The recessed can I installed came with a gasket that has tape to peel off and stick around the can to drywall gap, or the t&g;pine in my case.
Just caulk or seal it with whatever you can.

 

[Highbeam]

So I read the directions which didn't discuss sealing these lights but allow me to maybe describe the gap better. So there is the plaster frame. This is the rectangular base that lays flat on the sheetrock and is held down with the arms. In the middle of the plaster frame is a 6" hole punched out with about a 3/8" deep edge rolled towards the sheetrock. The plaster frame has a gasket and makes a good seal to the sheetrock. So far all is good. Then there is the can itself which is a silo looking tubular deal. The can has all sorts of holes in it for wires and other things which are all sealed up with foam looking sealant. The can is sealed up well.

The interface between the can and the plaster frame is where the gap is. The can is slightly smaller than the hole in the plaster frame and when they are attached at the factory there is no effort made to seal between the 3/8" rolled edge of the plaster frame and the bottom 3/8" of the can. This created a decent sized leak between the room and the attic. The trim piece, eyeballs in my case, snaps up into the can from the room side and does not seal this leak.

The leak was very apparent when I had the attic lit up with work lights and was in the living room looking up into the fixture. I plan to get my 35 year caulking and seal er up since noone seems to think that the leak is intentional and I have good access. I picked up 6 tubes of caulk for the sealing phase of my attic prep.

For 1300 SF of blown in R-38 fiberglass, the non-itchy white kind on top of about 3 inches of batt insulation (I believe the final R value will be 38 including the existing) the final price is just over 800$ after the local energy outfit kicks in 400$. I always wonder about these rebate programs if the contractor doesn't bump his price up.

Taking the same 1300 SF crawlspace which has no insulation up to R-19 will be 1100$ after another 400$ rebate. They also will lay a 6 mil VB on top of the current one.

The energy auditor and I agreed that cellulose is good but not any better than fiberglass. I could have bought my own cellulose from the HD and blown it into the attic myself to save like 200$, totally worth paying the contractor to do it.

 

[Redox]

Ya know, I just took a good look at the lights that are going into the new bathroom and that IS a big gap. It's gonna bother me until I do something about it. I will probably wait till I have a partial can of spray foam that needs to be used up and waste it on them. I always seem to wind up with a partial can of that Stuff and it doesn't keep well.

Chris