Search engine visitors - click here to access entire "$ensible Home" web site


Click to back to Main Tips List

Dulley's Money-Saving Tip #1094

Seal off recessed ceiling lights

(related column topic links - (886, 904)

Recessed lights in a ceiling under the attic can be a major air leakage spot in your house. These are basically just a leaky cannister through the ceiling with a light inside. Since the warmest air is at the ceiling, it naturally flows up into the attic. When the light is on, it gets even hotter and room air leaks out even faster.

Most of these older recessed lights fixtures get hot so you cannot put insulation or any other building material up against them. You can build a plywood box to cover the entire light fixture and rest on the attic floor around it. It must be big enough so that there is a minimum of four inches of clearance from any part of the light fixture to the sealing box. You can use fiberglass insulation around the box.