Be sure that eave vents are not blocked. Ways to shield these openings are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Small openings should be hand packed with fiber glass insulation.

Cavities, drops, and scuttles should be covered with insulation or their sides and bottoms should be insulated. Drops can be floored with gypsum board or other suitable material so that insulation can be properly applied.

Recessed lighting fixtures and fan motors protruding into the ceiling must not be covered with insulation and insulation should be held three inches away from their sides, in accordance with recommendations of the National Electric Code.

The purpose is to prevent overheating of fixtures. Prior to installation, these areas can be isolated or blocked by using pieces of fiber glass batts (3 inches away) or prefabricated barriers. (This warning does not apply to Type IC fixtures or fluo- rescent fixtures with thermally protected ballasts.)

It may be necessary to install batts over suspended acoustical ceilings and other similar "special'' areas.