The insulators on the job I'm doing won't place insulation around the exhaust fans or exhaust fan/light combo's I've installed in the bathroom ceilings.

They say they don't have the "IC" sticker on the housing, so they are told not to insulate within 3 inches.

Are exhaust fans required to be "IC" rated in insulated cieling spaces?

shortcircuit

The "IC" requirement is for recessed lights. However, since bath fans typically also contain lights, the position of the insulators seems prudent.

I had this same question about 20 years ago and I called tech support at Nutone. They said that a fan/light combination unit was not a recessed light and did not require the rating or label. They did tell me that their unit was tested with R-19 insulation above it.

the Broan fan/light I use has an inline t-stat that pick up power off the light switchleg so if the 100watt bulb is left on without the fan, it will kick on by itself to vent the excess heat. If the light is on with the fan obviously heat is not an issue. I have never heard of an exhaust fan that you can't put insulation up to.

JPS-

Now I know what that extra thing on the fan plug is.

Tom

Of course, there's probably just a teensy, weensy bit of air leakage out of the building through the fan *, so insulating around it probably isn't all that important.

(* Well, OK, if the fan works properly, there's a huge amount of leakage... )