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Exeric · 12-28-13, 08:18 PM

I like pot lights, especially the smaller 4" ones. I'm not ready to just give up on them because air tends to leak around them. They do require extra work to make them "green". One method that seems to work is to brush all the small seams and small holes on them with duct mastic. It works just as well here as on ducts to seal small leaks. Mastic over tape works for the larger holes. You do this either before they are installed or before the drywall goes up.

Once they are installed and poking out of the drywall then you need to seal between where it pokes out and the surrounding drywall hole. Don't use duct mastic for that, but rather a good flexible sealant. Finally, go up above the ceiling and give a shot of foam all around the rectangular flat surface that abuts the backside of the ceiling drywall. There is no longer any need with this method to encapsulate the entire pot with foam or an accessory talked about here.

If you do it that way it will be well sealed but you can still remove it if necessary. It also allows you to insulate with cellulose right on the pot so you get more insulation than with a bag of some sort which moves the insulation away. I really don't think you need to worry about overheating as long as you use a low enough wattage non-incandecent bulb.

The best part, of course, is that this method is cheap.

12-28-13, 08:18 PM	#7
Exeric Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: California Posts: 274 Thanks: 19 Thanked 37 Times in 28 Posts	I like pot lights, especially the smaller 4" ones. I'm not ready to just give up on them because air tends to leak around them. They do require extra work to make them "green". One method that seems to work is to brush all the small seams and small holes on them with duct mastic. It works just as well here as on ducts to seal small leaks. Mastic over tape works for the larger holes. You do this either before they are installed or before the drywall goes up. Once they are installed and poking out of the drywall then you need to seal between where it pokes out and the surrounding drywall hole. Don't use duct mastic for that, but rather a good flexible sealant. Finally, go up above the ceiling and give a shot of foam all around the rectangular flat surface that abuts the backside of the ceiling drywall. There is no longer any need with this method to encapsulate the entire pot with foam or an accessory talked about here. If you do it that way it will be well sealed but you can still remove it if necessary. It also allows you to insulate with cellulose right on the pot so you get more insulation than with a bag of some sort which moves the insulation away. I really don't think you need to worry about overheating as long as you use a low enough wattage non-incandecent bulb. The best part, of course, is that this method is cheap.