DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hello, I would be so grateful if anyone can advise me... I am putting some 35W halogen downlights in my kitchen ceiling, annd trying to figure out if I should use fire hoods behind them.

I am in an attic apartment. There is currently a wood ceiling with exposed rafters and no insulation. On the other side of the ceiling there are the roof slates outside, that's it. We are putting plasterboard between the rafters and (still not putting insulation, just leaving an air gap), and we are fitting the halogen downlights into the new plasterboard.

The depth from the back of the plasterboard to the wood of the ceiling will be about 7cm. The lights themselves take up about 3-4cm.

My first choice would have beeb proper fire-rated downlights, but they all seem to be 11cm deep, which does not fit into the allotted space between my rafters. So the alternative seems to be to use the normal downlights, with the firehood. HOWEVER I am now receiving advice saying that ventilation is preferable to a firehood, and now I am confused!

Can anyone help? I would be very grateful.

Without being on site there is a little guess work but from what you say I would not think you would need a fire hood. Fire hoods tend to make whole fitting hot and do tend to reduce the bulb live but not enough to say don't use them. Although your using 35 watt bulbs someone in the future may fit a 50 watt so you need to allow for that. Regulation 442.3.1 says unless manufacturer says different up to 100W must be 0.5 meters from combustible materials which in real terms means read to paper work that comes with each lamp and follow that.

hi Claire,
although it is well known on here how much I hate downlighters, in answer to your ? unless the ceiling is part of a fire break to say a flat above or in an integral garage ect. then hoods not required & are a serious fire risk due to preventing air flow through fitting so as far as this leckie is concerned if you don't have to fit them then dont! Slates are a bit of a b**gg*r to set on fire!!!! so if not too close to battens then fine,
Regards SPARX