subject: All About Fire Rated Downlighters [print this page] Lighting is essential both at home and in the workplace. Human beings need good quality light to maximise visibility and to help prevent eyestrain and resulting headaches or fatigue. Today there are numerous good quality lighting solutions. Downlighters come in different shapes and styles, but the ones that are fire rated adhere to specific qualifications that make them a superior choice for ceiling and flush-mount installations.
Here are a few of the aspects and advantages of fire rated downlighters.
These specific downlights have additional features that improve their safety characteristics, things like ventilated die-cast aluminium bodies, fire-retardant and intumescent materials, and shielded connector blocks for quick and convenient installation. They help protect ceiling and floor levels in the event of a fire with their ability to resist an open flame.
Fire rated downlighters are particularly well suited for use as bathroom lights. Bathroom lighting regulations assign zones to the different areas in bathrooms, based on a potential risk for electric shock. The zone numbers determine how and where lighting must be installed near water sources like tubs, showers, and sinks.
This two-digit number is called the IP (Ingress Protection) rating. It signifies the degree of protection a device has against solid and liquids like dust and water - the higher the number, the better the protection. This is particularly important for indoor lighting where such a combination of conditions could contribute to a fire hazard, like bathrooms and kitchens.
Fire ratings for downlights are one of three areas in which higher quality lights are judged to meet building regulations. Along with a level of ambient noise protection and air leakage from a poorly sealed ceiling cut-out, each light model is rated for fire protection in terms of minutes that the device can hold back a fire before spreading.
These downlighters are available in a variety of styles, for both mains voltage and low voltage installations. Light manufacturers also make fire hoods that fit over standard downlights to create an intumescent barrier in the open spaces between floors where a cut-out has been made. The hoods are made of flame-retardant materials that expand to help contain a fire.
These are standards and regulations that ensure consumers the best protection in choosing products for their homes that are safe, efficient, and economical. Fire rated downlighters have unique safety specifications that contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers need to be aware of when installing new fixtures. No matter where you need to install a fire rated downlighter, you should be able to find the right product to meet your needs.
Online retailers often offer good value and can usually provide advice via email or over the telephone. If in any doubt about your lighting requirements always contact a specialist supplier or qualified electrician. They will be able to help you make the right choices, so you have minimal stress and optimum performance from the lighting solution you decide to use. Reading customer reviews of all kinds of products can also provide a wealth of information.
