As reported by Malcolm Holland in The Daily Telegraph, improperly installed insulation has resulted in seven home fires in Sydney, Australia in the past six weeks alone. New South Wales Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge said yesterday many insulation batts were being laid incorrectly and that at least 26 homes in NSW had been destroyed or damaged this year by fires caused by poorly placed ceiling batts touching recessed lights. Several fires happened within a day of batts being installed.
The ARRA tax credits encourage people to add insulation, and that’s a good thing. Just make sure that it’s done correctly and safely, whether you do it yourself or hire a contractor!
Yesterday’s post on recessed can lights points to this—as do earlier posts about DIY insulating.
Be comfortable, be energy-efficient, but above all, be safe!
Thanks,
Mike
Tags: air-sealing, Australia, DIY, energy-efficiency, fire, home energy, insulation, recessed lights
February 18, 2010 at 12:29 pm |
[...] Do NOT just roll out batts of insulation in the attic. You need to air-seal first. The best resource guide for homeowners that I’ve come across is ENERGY STAR’s Do-It-Yourself Guide to ENERGY STAR Home Sealing. And do this safely. You don’t want to fall through ceiling. And improper installation causes problems, like moisture issues and fire risk. [...]