Insulation on dropped ceilings

Status
Not open for further replies.

hbiss

EC, New York NEC: 2017
Location
Little Falls, New York NEC: 2017
Occupation
EC
Had one of those jobs today, the ceiling had 6" of insulation on top of it. Thermafiber (rockwool) at that and you couldn't open up any tiles without reaching in and shoving it out of the way. It got me thinking, can they do that? We can't run wiring across a ceiling so that it prevents tiles from being opened to get at electrical equipment. How about something like this?

-Hal
 
hbiss said:
Had one of those jobs today, the ceiling had 6" of insulation on top of it. Thermafiber (rockwool) at that and you couldn't open up any tiles without reaching in and shoving it out of the way. It got me thinking, can they do that? We can't run wiring across a ceiling so that it prevents tiles from being opened to get at electrical equipment. How about something like this?

-Hal

The building code requires access to ceilings that are designed for access. The insulation that is permitted for those type ceilings is designed as part of the ceiling tile that is removed for access.
 
The building code requires access to ceilings that are designed for access. The insulation that is permitted for those type ceilings is designed as part of the ceiling tile that is removed for access.

Thanks Pierre, I am familiar with those types of tile. This is just regular fiberglass building insulation or in this case Thermafiber laid on top of the grid and regular tiles. There were a few places where the insulation was cut to the dimensions of the tile so it could be pushed up but I suspect that was how they got access to the space. Everywhere else the insulation makes it very difficult to remove the tiles. In that air handling space is the usual electrical, communications wiring and HVAC equipment, so I would think that the ceiling would be intended to provide access.

-Hal
 
Last edited:
hbiss said:
The building code requires access to ceilings that are designed for access. The insulation that is permitted for those type ceilings is designed as part of the ceiling tile that is removed for access.

Thanks Pierre, I am familiar with those types of tile. This is just regular fiberglass building insulation or in this case Thermafiber laid on top of the grid and regular tiles. There were a few places where the insulation was cut to the dimensions of the tile so it could be pushed up but I suspect that was how they got access to the space. Everywhere else the insulation makes it very difficult to remove the tiles. In that air handling space is the usual electrical, communications wiring and HVAC equipment, so I would think that the ceiling would be intended to provide access.

-Hal


If the installer is cutting the insulation to fit each ceiling tile, one more consideration is the weight the tile is designed to carry.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top