Do I need to install fire hoods/fire rated downlighters in every situation?
It really depends on whether the ceiling forms part of a fire compartment, its type of construction, its load-bearing capacity or if it has been specified by the client/contract. Generally speaking, a dwelling is considered to be a single compartment with regards to fire (Part B of the Building Regulations) unless it has an integral garage or has a protected stairway leading to a third floor. In the case of 3-storey dwellings, it is advisable to fit fire protection to downlighters installed in intermediate floors, especially where the integrity of flooring above has been compromised (e.g. gaps between floor boards, etc.). Where recessed downlighters are installed in ceilings that are not fire compartments such as the intermediate floors of 2-storey dwellings, the ceiling needs to have a minimum fire rating of 30 minutes. Research was commissioned in 1996 to look into the effect on the fire resistance of plasterboard ceilings with conventional rectangular joists having recessed downligh
