Attic boxes

[Mat]

I just moved into a 30 year old house and am puzzled by something I saw in the attic. At first I thought they were bundles of unused insulation. But then I realized they were boxes (about 2' cubed) that were fixed on the attic floor. They are wrapped in insualtion material, and I believe they are all immediately above recessed light pots in the top floor ceiling below. I've never seen this before. If they are just there to insulate the pot lights, then it seems like overkill!

There is also ducting up there that feeds the top floor vents, and they are insulated in the usual way, with rolled insulation material covering them. The boxes appear not to be related to the ducting.

Anyone seen boxes used like this before?

TIA

Mat

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Yes for sure. You can't just cover light fixture with insulation. You need some clearance due to rising heat build up.

[Mike Paulsen]

(snip)

There are recessed lights which are rated for direct contact with insulation (IC) and those which are not (non-IC). You most likely have the latter. The boxes ensure that the necessary clearance to insulation and other combustibles is maintained.

[Steve Barker LT]

Probably someone paranoid about the insulation getting on the fixture. And YES the insulation can touch the fixture, as long as it is rated for such.

s

[lee h]

Are the boxes possibly part of the recessed light fixtures? i.e., the light actually 'recesses' up into the boxes? Larger 'flood' type recessed fixtures are rather deep.