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Rich-Ando
Approved Electrician
Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 2481
Location: Derby, Derbyshire
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 Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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Downlighter protection has been, and still is in some quarters, a subject of much debate. However, new regulations and guidance has broadened the focus on this topic and the following is a summary of the current position.
ALL recessed downlighter installations must be FIRE and ACOUSTICALLY PROTECTED to meet Building Regulations B, E and P.
They must also meet the AIR LEAKAGE requirements of Building Regulations C (BS 5250) and L.
Location Protection
Separating Floors Fire & Acoustics
Intermediate Floors Fire & Acoustics
Upper Floor Ceilings Fire & Air Leakage
Upper Floor Bathrooms Fire & Condensation Loss
Other Bathrooms
Zone 0 IP67
Zones1,2 & 3 IP44 Minimum
Under Insulation Continuity of Insulation
Corridors Fire, Acoustics & Smoke
They must also meet the new build requirements of
NHBC Downlighters in ceilings under roof spaces. Standards Extra 31 & 32
Robust Detail Limited Performance Assessed to Appendix F Timber
Separating Floors. Handbook January 2005
Flat roofed extensions.
Other than good practice, no protection is required unless this forms part of an escape route from an upper storey, then the protection needs to be 30 minute fire rated. |
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Rich-Ando
Approved Electrician
Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 2481
Location: Derby, Derbyshire
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| Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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Downlights
Since the introduction of Building Regulations Part B,there has been a requirement to ensure adequate protection to people
in a building by provision of a fire barrier.
One of the solutions is to use a fire hood.Once the downlight is installed,the intumescent fire hood restores the fire rating of
the ceiling.However,there are down-sides with using fire hoods in that they are time consuming and difficult to install |
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handyman
Senior Member
Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 2671
Location: Alderley Edge, Cheshire
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| Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:02 am Post subject: |
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theres an example then, he might say that you require fire hoods, you fit them, then get your certificate.
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Go on, adopt a greyhound http://www.dgrescue.org.uk/ ..........................................................................  |
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handyman
Senior Member
Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 2671
Location: Alderley Edge, Cheshire
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| Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:03 am Post subject: |
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| handyman wrote: |
I would think they would pass it with a remark of 'unable to check pulled through wiring' or something similarly vague. If he didnt, then knowone would ever get a pass cert, unless they fully disassembled the house, or completely rewired the house first.
British Gas pass installations after inspections, even if they haven't fitted it. |
any comments?
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Go on, adopt a greyhound http://www.dgrescue.org.uk/ .......................................................................... |
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aptsys
Junior Member
Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:37 am Post subject: |
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A dwelling is considered to be a single compartment with regards to fire (Part B of the Building Regulations) unless it has an integral garage or has a protected stairway leading to a third floor. In the case of 3-storey dwellings, it is advisable to fit fire protection to downlighters installed in intermediate floors, especially where the integrity of flooring above has been compromised (e.g. gaps between floor boards, etc.).
Where recessed downlighters are installed in ceilings that are not fire compartments such as the intermediate floors of 2-storey dwellings, the ceiling needs to have a minimum fire rating of 30 minutes.
Research was commissioned in 1996 to look into the effect on the fire resistance of plasterboard ceilings with conventional rectangular joists having recessed downlighters installed (with no boxing in or fire hoods). The results of the tests were published in the July 1996 edition of Building Control Magazine. These results confirmed that the installation of downlighters, without being boxed in and with no fire hoods in plasterboard/timber joist ceilings, have little significant effect on fire resistance ratings up to 30 minutes. It must be inferred from these tests, therefore, that with ceilings of robust type construction (12.7mm plasterboard with conventional rectangular timber joists at not more than 450 mm centres and the flooring is at least 18mm thick with no gaps), it is not necessary to 'box in' downlighters or to use fire hoods for the purpose of restoring the fire resistance capability of ceilings that do not form part of fire compartment construction.
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BC_Consolidated_Bldg_Regs.pdf
http://www2.theiet.org/Publish/WireRegs/WiringMatters/Documents/Issue14_2/2005_14_spring_wiring_matters_installing_recessed_luminaires_in_ceilings.pdf
(No requirement anywhere in the regs to make good any break in the building structure that could permit transmission of smoke/fire when the ceiling doesn't separate fire compartments) |
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RedOrBrown
Junior Member
Joined: 02 Oct 2008
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Stoday wrote: |
| If you are selling, you'll get a form from the solicitor asking if any electrical work has been done since Jan 2005. You can honestly answer "No notifiable work done" if your interpretation of the part P rules is that it need not be notified. |
This looks like a way out - coupled with an inspection if required by the buyer's solicitor, followed by any necessary remedial work done by a qualified electrician as suggested.
Thanks to all contributors to this thread - lots of valuable advice, much appreciated. |
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