Do I need a fire hood?
This is where fire hoods come in. So as a general rule, if there is a habitable room above e.g. if you are installing in an apartment, office block or other building that has a habitable room above, speaker hoods are advisable and essential if the floor above is made from chipboard or timber.
Can you install non fire rated downlights?
Surface mounted downlights don’t need a fire rating, only recessed downlights have this requirement. If you’re installing recessed downlights into a commercial grade ceiling with a concrete structure and false ceiling, you don’t necessarily need fire rated downlights.

Should I use fire rated downlights?
It is highly recommended that all downlights installed are fire rated. This is purely for your protection in your home, as they give you more time to escape a fire and help slow the fire spreading through floors.
Do all downlights need fire hoods?
Installing fire rated downlights is only necessary when they are recessed or semi-recessed, rather than surface mounted. This is because it is the hole that is cut for recessed downlights that compromises the fire resistance of the ceiling.
Do spotlights need fire hoods?
However if your LED spotlights are NOT fire rated, and they are installed in a room where there is a living space above (bedroom, bathroom or landing etc) whether that living space belongs to you or not (upstairs flat), then you will need to have the fire hoods fitted.

What is a fire hood?
A fire hood is a protective cover that is installed over a recessed luminaire, such as a downlighter, either as a means of restoring the fire resistant integrity of the ceiling in which it was installed or as a means of providing a protective void againts the accumulation of debris or the installation of insulation …
Does a kitchen ceiling need to be fire rated?
You shouldn’t need a fire-check rated ceiling on a single storey kitchen. If you need to provide a fire-check rated ceiling you can either use 2 layers of 12.5mm plasterboard or a fireline board.
Can you put loft insulation over downlights?
The loft lid creates a barrier between the downlight and the thermal insulation. The insulation can then be laid over the loft lid and packed to the sides if necessary. Loft caps or loft lids for downlights can be used with either fire rated or non fire rated downlights.
Can I put fire rated downlights under insulation?
Certain fire-rated downlights can be covered with insulation, such as the Ansell iCage range when bought with a box insulation protector. Loft caps are made from fire-resistant materials and can be used with any type of downlight, bringing you extra reassurance that your lighting is fire safe.
What is the purpose of smoke hood?
Smoke Hoods are protective head coverings which, as a minimum, have a filter system that prevents wearers from breathing in unwanted smoke gases and particulates generated in a fire. They may also incorporate a small oxygen generator by which their useful endurance as a protective device is increased.
Is MDF fireproof?
MDF is also fire resistant because of its chemical makeup which includes phenol formaldehyde resin that acts as a heat barrier. The average temperature at which mdf burns is 27 degrees Celsius but when exposed to 80 degrees Celsius the material will emit smoke before burning up completely.
Is pink plasterboard fireproof?
As it is not fireproof, merely fire-resistant, pink plasterboard should not be relied on solely to prevent the spread of fire, but merely to halt it temporarily.
Do fire hoods work?
How do fire escape hoods work? A fire escape hood is worn over the head. The tight seal around the hood prevents any smoke from getting in. So the only air you’ll breath comes through the filter, which removes the toxic gasses found in smoke – providing clean, safe air for 15 minutes.