Even though they’re small and unobtrusive, recessed lights — whose housing enters the attic — contribute more than their share to higher energy bills. They contribute to air leakage between the conditioned space inside the home and the unconditioned attic space. Unless they’re insulated, they can also siphon heat from one place to another.
Air Leakage
Installers may not have sealed around the canister lights and your ceiling, and air is constantly circulating between the attic and the ceiling. Whether it’s leaving or entering your home, that air movement increases the amount of time your HVAC system runs.
A light bulb that burns hot can also derail energy efficiency. Heat rises and as the bulb warms up the canister, it will pull air from beneath it into the attic, where it’s wasted.
Thermal Bridging
This term refers to energy losses that occur when their materials conduct heat into or away from the interior. Metal is a particularly good heat conductor, and if the housing for the lights isn’t surrounded by insulation in the attic, it will contribute to heat gain and loss year-round.
Fixing the Problems
- Caulking around the attic floor and the lamp’s housing will stop the surface air leaks.
- Changing the bulbs to LEDs will reduce the amount of heat rising into the canister and the attic. Other types of bulbs, including CFLs, emit much more heat than LEDs and should be avoided.
- Replacing the recessed lights with those with the IC (insulation contact) and ASTM 283 labels will stop the air leaks.
- Placing insulation over the fixtures in the attic. Loose cellulose or fiberglass works best since it will conform to the shape of the canister.
The new fixtures must have the IC rating, otherwise the contact between the housing and the insulation could start a fire. You may also be able to find pre-insulated fixtures at the home improvement centers.
Unless they’re addressed, recessed lights can waste substantial amounts of energy and stress your HVAC system. To learn more, contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, providing HVAC services for Lorain area homeowners.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about recessed lighting and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area