Air Leakage in Recessed Lighting

Did you know that air and moisture could be leaking out of your recessed light? I found an article from the Pennsylvania Housing research that talks about some issues concerning the impact of recessed cans on residential energy use and the integrity of the building enclosure, with regards to air leakage and potential moister problems.

Air leakage is not something that a homeowner wants to deal with. It will increase fuel bills, cause discomfort, and lead to moisture problems. The large openings needed to install recessed cans make them extremely susceptible to air leakage. Many studies have shown that can lights are responsible for the worst air leakage. Because of this leakage, a homeowner could lose between $5-$30 per year worth of energy and could have about one-third of a gallon of water dumped into their attic daily.

What do you do to prevent this air leakage? Within the past 10 years, most major lighting manufacturers have made different types of trim packages that are "Air-tite, Air-Loc, and Air-Seal"

To prevent having problems, be sure to have your recessed cans checked to make sure there is no air leakage or moisture issues.