# Vapor seal for cans



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

backstay said:


> Anyone vapor seal around your IC cans? I have had customers ask and what I say is we install "vapor Loc Cans/Trims" but how about a true seal. Plastic or a styro box?


 
It's code than cans between conditioned and unconditioned space be airtite. I accomplish this with gasketed trims.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

I use sheetrock mud to seal the small gap around the can. As far as enclosing the can I have never seen that done. Some cans like old lightoiler were enclosed sorta.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> It's code than cans between conditioned and unconditioned space be airtite. I accomplish this with gasketed trims.



Yea we do too. That and we use Halo air tight cans.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> I use sheetrock mud to seal the small gap around the can. As far as enclosing the can I have never seen that done. Some cans like old lightoiler were enclosed sorta.


 

I did a remodel in a commercial space that required the fire rated caps. 
24 cans at 250 per cap


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> I did a remodel in a commercial space that required the fire rated caps.
> 24 cans at 250 per cap



I have installed fire caps. I was thinking about dust and dirt for some reason...:blink:.I never even thought of it being a code situation..:001_huh::laughing:


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## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thevince/3154091603/

we use these up here. I also cut them in half and resize them with tuck tape when installing bath fans.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

I don't have access to these. They don't carry them in Home D on this side of the line. But it is just what I was thinking. I already use a simalar product for my switch boxes. The supply house only sells this size. They cost about $2.50 ea


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

Won't use the air tight or air loc fixtures without installing the vapor boots. (10 mil poly hats) Those fixtures leak so much air that a house fails an energy audit (Manitoba Hydro). The boots usually run about $7 cdn each
The ONLY place i use air-loc is the JUNO slope ceiling fixtures as the boots don't fix


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

wcord said:


> Won't use the air tight or air loc fixtures without installing the vapor boots. (10 mil poly hats) Those fixtures leak so much air that a house fails an energy audit (Manitoba Hydro). The boots usually run about $7 cdn each
> The ONLY place i use air-loc is the JUNO slope ceiling fixtures as the boots don't fix


 

Here is the IRC article they enforce here:

N1102.4.5 Recessed lighting. Recessed luminaires installed in the _building thermal envelope _shall be sealed to limit air leakage between conditioned and unconditioned spaces. All recessed luminaires shall be IC-rated and _labeled _as meeting ASTM E 283 when tested at 1.57 psf (75 Pa) pressure differential with no more than 2.0 cfm (0.944 L/s) of air movement from the _conditioned space _to the ceiling cavity. All recessed luminaires shall be sealed with a gasket or caulk between the housing and the interior wall or ceiling covering.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Here is the IRC article they enforce here:
> 
> N1102.4.5 Recessed lighting. Recessed luminaires installed in the _building thermal envelope _shall be sealed to limit air leakage between conditioned and unconditioned spaces. All recessed luminaires shall be IC-rated and _labeled _as meeting ASTM E 283 when tested at 1.57 psf (75 Pa) pressure differential with no more than 2.0 cfm (0.944 L/s) of air movement from the _conditioned space _to the ceiling cavity. All recessed luminaires shall be sealed with a gasket or caulk between the housing and the interior wall or ceiling covering.


Don't get me wrong. The air-loc or air tight IC fixtures meet UL and CSA requirements. BUT in our northern climate, the minimum requirements that are enforced, are not sufficient IMO. But there are many contractors who don't care and just give bare minimum quality
Any leakage into an attic space, at -20C will create frost on the roof sheeting. As a side note, Manitoba Hydro will not accept un-bagged IC fixtures, that do not have the junction box attached to the can assembly. This is help prevent blown-in insulation from falling out if the can is removed. A Juno IC-2 is acceptable without a hat as they are rated Air-Loc and the junction portion is part of the metal enclosure.
For the customers we cater to, the extra install labor per fixture can be justified by the better vapor seal. Actually the air-loc seal is only pennies cheaper than the hat, although extremely faster to install ( takes about 10 minutes longer to place the hat , block it with lumber and terminate the fixture) 
I don't know what your vapor barrier requirements in the Southern parts of the States are. But I would assume that in your Northern states, your requirements would be pretty close to ours.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

wcord said:


> I don't know what your vapor barrier requirements in the Southern parts of the States are. But I would assume that in your Northern states, your requirements would be pretty close to ours.


Actually out in rural Minnesota, there are no building inspectors or enforcement. There are only electrical, plumbing (on commercial) and septic inspectors out here.


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