The AICB(1) and FILMM(2) remind us that protecting recessed spotlights is mandatory when insulating unused attic space, regardless of the type of insulation used.
Alarming increase in breaches related to the handling of recessed lighting
Indeed, after noting a significant decline in sales of protective covers for recessed spotlights over several months, FILMM and AICB launched a preliminary investigation into the reasons for this sudden decrease.
The survey revealed that protective covers for recessed spotlights are being used less and less by professionals when insulating unused attic space, for the following main reasons:
- the use of LED lighting, which is wrongly considered to be exempt from this protection;
- the argument put forward by certain manufacturers that their lighting fixtures do not require protection because they themselves comply with regulations, even though they are not, in principle, subject to the same protocol set out in the appendix to DTU 45.11 for compliance with the specified characteristics.
Warning against statements made by certain lighting manufacturers
"Some manufacturers of recessed lighting claim in their technical data sheets that their products comply with DTU 45.11 and therefore do not require a protective cover. These statements, which contradict the safety instructions in DTU 45.11, seem particularly dangerous to us for two reasons. Firstly, because they cause confusion among insulation installers who are neither trained nor able to systematically recognize a specific model of recessed spotlight. Secondly, because accustoming installers to not fitting protective covers on certain sites inevitably leads them to mistakenly or deliberately avoid the obligation to install it on other sites where it is absolutely necessary, particularly on renovation sites where recessed lighting is still largely halogen spotlights, which present a higher fire risk. Olivier Joreau (President of the AICB) and Élisabeth Bardet (President of the FILMM)
In this context, the AICB and FILMM remind insulation professionals that standards DTU 45.10 and 45.11 clearly state that compliant protection must be installed on recessed lighting fixtures when insulating unused attic space.
Failure to comply with these standards exposes you to serious risks, including fire. Recessed lighting, when installed without complying with safety requirements, can generate excessive heat and endanger the structure of insulated attics and compromise the safety of the occupants of the structure.
For projects benefiting from EEC funding, failure to comply with these standards may even result in the application being invalidated by the National Energy Savings Certificate Center (PNCEE).
Reminder of regulations: protection of recessed spotlights is mandatory.
To ensure the safety of occupants and avoid any risk of damage, the AICB and FILMM encourage professionals in the sector to strictly comply with DTU 45.10 and 45.11 standards when insulating unused attic space.
To protect people and property, the procedure to follow is therefore simple: any lighting fixture recessed into the attic space must be protected by a compliant cover before any insulation (of any kind) is installed.
(1) AICB: Association of Bio-based Construction Manufacturers
(2) FILMM: National Union of Manufacturers of Manufactured Mineral Wool Insulation
