Recessed luminaires that are not identified for contact with insulation must be kept at least how far from combustible materials?

• A. 2 inches
• B. 1/2 inch
• C. 3 inches
• D. 3 1/2 inches

Answer: (B)

Recessed luminaires that aren’t rated for insulation contact must keep some space away from any combustible materials to prevent heat from igniting nearby wood or other combustibles. The minimum distance is a half inch. This small clearance helps heat dissipate and reduces fire risk when insulation isn’t allowed to touch the fixture. If insulation were involved, you’d use a fixture rated for contact with insulation or install barriers, but for non-IC fixtures the required clearance to combustibles is 1/2 inch. The other distances would imply larger separations than the code requires for this scenario.