When it comes to the lighting in your home’s electrical system, you want to be able to rest easy knowing that it is 100% safe and not a large risk of an electrical fire. Most lights are going to generate a certain amount of heat when they are on and operational. This means that they need to be IC rated or insulation contact rated. If they aren’t, it means that they are at a higher risk of electrical fire should they come in contact with any insulation. Burley Electrical Services is here to talk about IC rated lighting and why it is so important for your home.
What Makes Lighting IC Rated
The lighting in your home is more than likely going to come in contact with insulation if there isn’t housing around the lighting to create a barrier. The IC rating for lighting is dependent on what that barrier or space around a light and the insulation around it. This space is usually created with two layers of metal casing that allows for a pocket of air that works to diffuse the heat generated by that light. With two layers, the outer layer won’t ever get hot enough to be worrisome about a fire starting as a result.
What Type of Lights are IC Rated
If you have any recessed lighting in your home, those lights have to be IC rated because they are up in the ceiling and come in contact with insulation there. If you have surface lighting, it has no need to be IC rated because it doesn’t ever come in contact with insulation.
How to Tell if Your Lights are IC Rated
For any homeowners that aren’t sure if the lighting in their home is IC rated, you can look for certain labeling that indicates that it is. This can be done by going up in your attic and looking for these labels. This isn’t always an option for everyone though. If it isn’t an option for you, you can also look for other clues inside the housing when you remove the bulb. Here is what you should be looking for:
– A serial number with an IC or IC-AT in it. These letters stand for “insulation contact” and “air tight.”
– If the lighting fixture in your ceiling has any holes or openings in it when the bulb is removed, you know that it isn’t IC rated.
Safely Insulating Around IC Rated Lights
If you are installed recessed lighting in your home, it is always best to have it done by a professional electrician. This way you know that it was done right to eliminate your risk of an electrical fire. They know the right way to install IC rated lighting so that your home is safe.
Electrical Estimates, Electrical Wiring Inspections & More in Pompano Beach, Imperial Point, Plantation, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Davie, Lighthouse Point, Parkland & Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Anytime you need lighting installed in your home, you can turn to Burley Electrical Services to do the job right. We will make sure your home’s electrical system is safe. Call us today!
