fire-rated light fixtures
I am in the midst of renovating the bottom duplex of my townhouse and my architect just informed me (unfortunately after the sheet rock is up) that my recessed light fixtures need to be fire rated. I have done quite a bit of research and found that the cheapest way to do this will be…
I am in the midst of renovating the bottom duplex of my townhouse and my architect just informed me (unfortunately after the sheet rock is up) that my recessed light fixtures need to be fire rated. I have done quite a bit of research and found that the cheapest way to do this will be quite costly…cutting out the sheet rock and replacing each fixture (which are non-IC rated) with an IC rated fixture covered by a fire rated light cover made by a company called Tenmat.
Has anyone heard of this requirement that recessed lights in NYC be fire rated? I questions this because the existing fixtures in the space were not fire rated and also the contractor and electrician (both local shops with lots of business) say they never do this.
Pertinent information: my house is under a 4-family CO (although it will in fact be 3-family once we finish the renovation though we are not changing the CO as part of the permitting for the renovation). The floors being renovated are the garden and parlor level (being combined as a duplex). Permit is under the 1968 code. Construction is steel joists with concrete subfloor.
Thanks all!
Non-IC cans depend on airflow through the fixture to keep from overheating. If you cover them, the thermal cut-off will turn off your light every 10 minutes.
Thanks all.
JBHarch…you are right, the IC-rated fixtures are not the same as a fire rated fixture. Thanks i heard same thing elsewhere that the floor between the duplex should not have to be fire-rated.
NYC sport…my problem is that for using the tenmat product i need to replace my non-IC rated fixture with IC-rated fixtures which actually makes no sense to me as the tenmat product is supposed to be inflammable however thats what the tech representative from the company told me, that their product can only be used with IC-rated fixtures.
If you are going through a fire rated ceiling then it needs to be rated somehow. If you have the height you could drop a new ceiling below the fire rated one.
Jock deBoer AIA
deBoer Architects
I believe that fire rated light covers (including Tenmat) fit over the existing can. You should check, but I do not think you need to replace the existing fixtures.
It’s not so much that the fixture has to be rated as that the rating of the ceiling/floor assembly has to be maintained. I had to create rated coffers in the ceiling for recessed lighting fixtures but that was in a required one-hour rated floor assembly between a commercial and a residential occupancy. If the ceiling is part of a floor assembly that is between the 2 floors of a duplex,I would question the need to do this. Also, please correct me if I am wrong, but an IC-type fixture is for use in insulated ceilings. Such a designation does not in itself guarantee that the fixture is fire-rated.