By: Barry Stone
Dear Barry:
Some of the recessed lights in my house have been overheated, and I'm worried about fire. When the bedrooms were repainted, I removed the fixture covers and found that the hardware and surrounding drywall were badly discolored. Two of these lights had 100-watt bulbs instead of the 60-watt bulbs recommended on the manufacturer's label. How can I be sure that heat build-up in these fixtures will not cause a fire in my home? --Len
Dear Len,
Incandescent ceiling lights, when properly installed, are reasonably safe if the bulb wattages are in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Since these fixtures have been exposed to excessive heat, they may have incurred damage and should be replaced to avoid future problems.
Another consideration with regard to heat build-up involves insulation. Even when the correct bulbs are used, overheating can occur if insulation in the attic is installed over recessed ceiling lights. Therefore, the attic should be inspected to ensure that there is unrestricted air space between the insulation and the fixtures.
To further minimize heat problems, you can change to fluorescent bulbs. This will have the added benefit of reducing your electric consumption, since far more power is needed to produce heat than to make light.
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