Homeowners should ensure that anyone who installs loose-fill or batt-type insulation in their home is fully aware that the fire safety of recessed lights is not jeopardised.

Recessed light fittings are designed to dissipate heat upwards into the roof space and if covered may overheat and ignite combustible material.      

Often light fittings are supplied with a transformer to reduce voltage.  These transformers cannot be covered over by insulation and must have exposure to air circulation to remain cool and operational.

Homeowners who plan to install additional or first time thermal roofing insulation should engage a licensed electrician to advise the insulation installer about mandatory clearances around light fittings and transformers.

In addition to ceiling insulation safety issues, loose-fill mineral insulation installed in cavity walls can completely surround electrical cables and cables reticulated between power points.  Cables become warm when carrying load and need air circulation to operate at a safe temperature.  Loaded wall cavity cables enclosed in mineral insulation without reduced current carrying capacity may overheat and cause a fire in the cavity.  For cable temperature stability, an affected circuit's protection device must be exchanged for lower amperage protection.  In this instance, to comply with the Wiring Rules and to reduce cable operating temperatures, a 16 amp power circuit breaker is replaced with a 12 amp circuit breaker.

Many older homes, in particular, contain electrical wiring and accessories in the roof space that could be easily damaged during the installation of batts or loose-fill thermal insulation.  Mains, heating and cooling circuit cables in roof spaces that carry large electrical load require unrestricted air circulation.  Your preferred electrician may need to check if these larger cables require elevation above additional or new insulation or if such cables require rerouting. 

In summary before you have thermal insulation installed make certain:

1. that your roof space wiring will not be damaged

2. light fittings and associated transformers do not become covered

3. Heating, cooling, consumer mains cables and recessed light fittings that may become fully surrounded by   insulation are protected from the adverse affects of thermal insulation.