If you are changing or updating the lighting in your home, you have probably talked about what you want to use. LED downlights are perhaps one of the most popular lighting alternatives, but you should ask yourself a few things before. One of the first questions you’ll have to answer is:
Is it necessary for me to use a fire-rated downlights?
Here is a quick rundown of why they exist…
When you cut a hole into a ceiling and install recessed lights, you are reducing the existing fire rating of the ceiling. This hole then allows for fire to escape and spread more easily between floors. Plaster board ceilings (for example) have a natural ability to act as a fire barrier. The ceiling below must be fire-rated in any building where people may be living or inhabiting above. Fire-rated downlights are used to restore a ceiling’s fire integrity.
In the event of a fire, the downlight hole in the ceilings acts as a portal, allowing flames to flow unhindered. When a fire spreads through this hole, it has direct access to the adjoining structure, which is usually comprised of wooden ceiling joists. Fire rated downlights seal off the hole and slow down the spread of fire. Modern fire-rated downlights have an intumescent pad that swells up when it reaches a specified temperature, preventing fire from spreading. The fire must then find another path, halting is advance.
This delay allows occupants to escape the building, or ideally allow extra time to put out the fire. Some fire-rated downlights are rated for 30, 60 or 90 minutes. This rating is determined by the building’s structure, and more importantly, the number of floors. The top floor of block or flats, for example, would require a 90 or possibly 120 minutes fire rating, whereas a ceiling in the bottom floor of a house would be 30 or 60 minutes.
If you cut a hole in the ceiling, you must restore it to its original state and not interfere with its natural ability to act as a fire barrier. The surface mounted downlights do not require a fire rating; only recessed downllights need to pass the fire rated test. But you do not need fire rated downlight if you are installing recessed downlights in a commercial grade ceiling with a concrete structure and false ceiling.
30, 60, 90 minutes Fire Protection
Further testing has been carried out on Lediant fire rated range and we are pleased to announce that all of the downlights have been independently tested for 30, 60 and 90 minutes fire rated ceilings.
What does this mean to you?
The ceiling type constructed depends on the type to be building under construction. The ceilings have to be constructed to provide protection to occupied floors above and also to adjacent buildings for a duration as specified in Building Regulations Part B. have been independently tested for 30, 60 and 90 minutes fire rated ceilings.
Post time: Jun-13-2022