Why do my recessed lights cycle on and off ?
Click Image to enlarge.
Q
I just upgraded the attic insulation to R-60
in my new home. I installed IC recessed lights (rated to have insulation around
them), but they go off and on when they get warm. The electrician suggested
removing the insulation so they don’t overheat. There must be a better way to
have your lights and insulate too.
Robert Fay, via
E-mail
A There is no
need to compromise your insulation to keep your lights on. The recessed light
fixtures you bought, called IC rated, are designed so that insulation can be
installed in direct contact with them. These fixtures have a high-temperature
cutoff switch that turns off the lamp if excessive heat builds up. That’s why
they’re cycling on and off.
To resolve the problem: First, check the information on
the fixture label (bottom
photo, p. 13) to make sure the bulb is an acceptable type and
wattage. Second, check the fixture label to make sure the trim is compatible
with the housing (bottom
photo, p. 13)The wrong trim can trap too much heat inside the
fixture housing. Look for a part number on both the housing and the trim and
call a supplier to confirm their compatibility. Third, if the housing allows
the bulb to be adjusted up and down, move the bulb down. Fourth, the thermal
protector might be defective and require replacement. This is a tough one to
diagnose. If you have several lights turning on and off, the protectors are
probably OK. A single problem light might well have a faulty protector. Call in
a licensed electrician to fix it.
Still stumped? Try this solution that I’ve used several
times. Build an airtight box around the problem light (top photo, p.
13). You have to do it from within the attic (not a pleasant working
environment!). Cut the box from 2-in. thick rigid extruded foam board, then
glue and screw the joints. Caulk all seams and penetrations from either inside
or outside the box. It’s important to make the box airtight to keep warm air
from escaping into the attic. It provides air space around the fixture to help
pre-vent overheating, yet interior air cannot get into the attic, and your
insulation is still intact.
Properly venting exhaust fans through the roof
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Q
I’m about to install an exhaust fan in my
bathroom. I was wondering if I can vent it out one of my roof vents. Will snow
on the roof be a problem, or will heat from the vent melt the
snow?
J. Reif, Mounds View,
MN
A Don’t do
it. First, you’ll partially block your roof vent with the piping, reducing the
flow of cooling air through your attic. Second, during your cold Minnesota
winters, you’ll be blowing warm, moist air onto a cold surface (the roof vent
and roof plywood). The water will condense and drip into the insulation below
and perhaps into the house. Special bathroom fan roof vents, available at home
centers, don’t take long to install and send moist air
outdoors.
Circuit breaker aerobics
Q
I recently bought and moved into an older
three-story home. The electrical system has been upgraded (there are 20 circuit
breakers in the panel box). How can I find out which circuit breaker goes where
without running up and down the steps?
Ted Stempkoski, Tarentum,
PA
A Put on your track shoes, Ted, or find some
helpers. It’s a good idea to have a well-marked breaker panel, but it will take
several hours to track down all the circuits.
First, draw floor plans of your house. Mark on the plans
the location of all receptacles and lights. Go room by room and be thorough.
Don’t forget the garage and the exterior. Then, turn on all the lights. Look
for receptacles that are controlled by switches (often floor or table lamps are
plugged into them) and turn them on.
Next, go to the service panel. There’s a stamped number
next to each breaker (see
photo). Turn off breaker No. 1.
Now the hunt begins. Go through the house and note which
lights are off. Mark these lights and their switches on the floor plan with a
number “1.” Then plug a small lamp or radio into each receptacle; if it’s dead,
mark with a 1. As you go, put a Post-it note or a piece of tape on each device
as it’s marked off. Test
both outlets of duplex receptacles
(upper and lower) because they may be on separate circuits. Back at the panel,
turn on breaker No. 1 and turn off breaker No. 2 and repeat the process. The
process will speed up as you mark off devices. When you’re all done, you can
laminate these floor plans and post them by the electrical
panel.
Now when problems arise or electrical work needs doing,
you can confidently refer to your floor plan and turn off the correct
circuits.
Can treated wood contaminate vegetable gardens?
Q
I keep reading conflicting information
regarding the safety of raised garden beds made of treated wood. Can you settle
this once and for all? Is it dangerous to use treated wood around gardens,
especially vegetable gardens? Will the chemicals in the wood find their way
into our home-grown produce?
Frank Wilson, Clearwater,
FL
A The predominant chemical used to treat wood to
prevent decay is chromated copper arsenate. It’s the arsenate (a form of
arsenic) that gives people the jitters. But after numerous studies, there’s
little evidence that chemicals leach out of the wood and get into the food
you’re growing. A minuscule amount of the chemical will leach from the wood
into surrounding soil, particularly when the wood is newly installed. Generally
speaking, however, the molecules bind tightly to soil particles near the wood
and don’t migrate very far into your garden. One study done by Texas A&M
University indicated that there was no difference between the amount of arsenic
naturally present in soils and the amount in soils contained by CCA-treated
wood.
If you’re still concerned about using conventional
treated wood, call around and see if there’s a local supplier of treated wood
that doesn’t contain arsenic. The most common kind is Type ACQ-D (the
preservative is called alkaline copper quat) manufactured by Chemical
Specialties Inc. You can call the company at (800) 421-8661 to see if there’s a
supplier in your area. Or you can build your garden walls out of precast
concrete landscaping blocks, cedar or redwood.
For more consumer
information on treated wood, contact:
Art Direction • GREGG
WEIGAND
Photography • BILL
ZUEHLKE
