Downlighters in Dormer

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dj01

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Will be wiring new build (which is a dormer) very soon and had planned on fitting downlighters in all rooms. Someone has advised fitting downlighters upstairs may not be a great idea as they are cutting into the insulated roof.

Anyone got any experience of this?
 
Fitting downlighters into the upstairs ceilings will affect the fire rating, the insulation, and the air-tightness.
There is also a fire risk from the downlighters themselves if they're subsequently covered by insulation.
However, you can fit a fire hood to each downlighter like the ones here , but they're not cheap.
Also bear in mind that if John Gormley's planned legislation comes into force, you may not be able to get lamps for your downlighters locally.
Maybe you could use 5amp sockets switched at the door and use some table lamps if you don't want to use ceiling pendants.
 
Hi,

I built a dormer house two years ago and put a good few downlighters in. I only put them in the master bedroom upstairs and boy am I sorry for putting them in. The breeze that comes down from the attic is a disaster. I am seriously considering re-slabbing the ceiling and put in a pendant light. Whatever you do don't put them in upstairs.
 
Hi selfbuilder,

Thanks for the info. What way did you insulate your roof out of interest, i.e. did you run the insulation from the ridge all the way down to the wall plate, and did you use rigid insulation (kingspan etc) or a mineral wool? Would like to put in the spots so trying to find out if I can prevent the problem you found by insulating in a particular way?

thanks again!
 
We had planned for downlighters in the upstairs of our dormer, but changed our minds when the electrician told us that we couldn't have any insulation around them as it would be a fire hazard. We used kingspan insulation and put in pendant lights. We only ever have lamps lit in the bedrooms anyway so it was no big loss.
 
Thanks, think I might have to scrap the ones I had planned fitting upstairs as they just seem to be more hassle than it's worth!

Whats the best type of downlighters to go for - LED/Halogen Mains or Low Voltage. I need some of to work of dimmers in kitchen & living room and others just on standard switches. Have got prices on Low Voltage and mains, but been told both can be dimmed, presume LV uses less electricity? Any other points worth considering.. Didn't think there was so much to just downlights - oh the joy's of selfbuilding...;)
 
I used Kingspan insulation on the slope and ordinary fibreglass on the flat and had to leave a circle un-insulated around the spots which lets in the cold from the attic. I used all low voltage throughout the house and the only problem I had was the cheap bulbs that the electrician used kept blowing. I have nearly replaced each one with GE bulbs and they haven't blown since. I have looked at the downlight fire covers and they may solve the problem of not insulating around the lights.
 
thanks selfbuilder. did you use low voltage or mains downlighters, and dimmers or on/off switches, just trying to find out some information from people who are actually using them!
 
Would not waste your money too bright have them all over my house barely use them wire for center rose & plenty of sockets for nice bedside lamps
 
We have them in our sunroom ceiling in our new build so same scenario, I was horrified when the electrician (brother in law) told us we need to leave a 1ft gap in the insulation either side of the lights - this is a lot of uninsulated ceiling!

If you don't leave that much of a gap they tend to overheat and blow bulbs, your heart will be broken if they are on a high ceiling like ours are, so it's something we are stuck with. That said it hasn't felt cold in that room, but haven't been there at night yet!

Our insulation is the (really blooming expensive) Kingspan pink board on the rest of the roof though and it's a north facing room.
 
I wouldn't put down lights in the downstairs of a house with timber joists either, the vibration of running across the floor in heavy duty areas like the landing blows the bulbs underneath when they are hot , costs a fortune to keep bulbs in them
 
bertie1 said:
I wouldn't put down lights in the downstairs of a house with timber joists either, the vibration of running across the floor in heavy duty areas like the landing blows the bulbs underneath when they are hot , costs a fortune to keep bulbs in them
Click to expand...

I have these in all the downstairs of my place. I've never had a problem with blowing bulbs. The level of vibration required to damage these bulbs would end up blowing out the joints in the plasterboard!
Leo
 
You need very little vibration on a tungsten filament lamp to blow it when it is hot, & kids running along a landing certainly would blow them without pulling down the ceiling. Would I be correct in thinking that you have GU10s or low voltage halogens?
 
I have the low voltage type and found that the cheap bulbs blow regularly. Stick to the decent ones. I have ordered fire covers for the attic and you are supposed to be able to lay insulation over them.
 
I've only recently moved into a new house and had spotlights fitted upstairs with no problems. Our electrician ordered ones that shut off the oxygen supply so they cannot go on fire.
 
bertie1 said:
You need very little vibration on a tungsten filament lamp to blow it when it is hot, & kids running along a landing certainly would blow them without pulling down the ceiling. Would I be correct in thinking that you have GU10s or low voltage halogens?
Click to expand...

I have mains GU10 halogens, which of course have a tungsten filament. These also operate at a higher temperature than non-halogen bulbs.
Leo
 
Any further advice on this thread.

We are installing downlighters in the dormers and the attic room.

What is the best way to insulate this zone. Is it possible to box around the spotlights in timber and protect with some form of fire resistant sheet material. Is there a requirement to have the zone above the spotlights ventilated?
 
Folks, I have some recollection of reading somewhere (possibly here) of using the clay terracotta type flower pots turned upside down to cover downlighters in the attic space? Not sure of the virtues of this though?
 
I think I will keep the flower pots in the garden....

Has anyone used a timber box surround protected using 2 layers of gypsum plasterboard?

Any thought welcome
 
You can buy Fire rated downlighters, they come with the housing build in to them. I used them throughout our new build, its a dormer and no problems at all. No need for flower pots and a 1 foot of insulation cut out !

Secman
 
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