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Insulation
Beware the Pitfalls
We have established the following guidelines because of the huge amount of concern and enquiries from the general public to our business, requesting us to assist them in solving their problems. These problems have been occurring as a result of consumers not carrying out proper due diligence before appointing the company or trade person to install their ceiling insulation. The consumer has been misled into accepting a poorer quality insulation product; the product used is misrepresented or has not been installed to the government’s standards.
Suggested Insulation Guidelines:
1. It would be wise to contact several installers for confirmation of facts. Remember the cheapest price is not worth it if the product is of poorer quality and effectiveness.
2. The person doing the quote must come on site to measure the property. This would normally include inspecting the ceiling for joist widths and accessibility. Also, to ascertain if there is existing insulation and any other obstacles that may prove hazardous or may require additional expertise. ie do batts need to be stapled or strapped to the bulk head.
3. The customer should make sure the product quoted is of Australian Standard. Just because the company quotes pink batts you cannot assume they are the Australian made product. There are a lot of poorer quality Asian ceiling batts currently flooding the market. Make sure the bags your installer uses are clearly labeled with all the details like R rating, Country of Origin and the standards they meet.
4. The customer should enquire how long once the quote has been accepted it will be until they can install the insulation. If it is more than 2 weeks you should question if their product supply is reliable.
5. Does their product come with any warranty or life expectancy?
6. What due diligence should the Home Owner, Renter or Agent carry out? Other questions to consider are:
7. Does the product being offered have outstanding acoustic absorption properties?
8. Does the product have high thermal resistance and outstanding energy performance?
9. Does the product have a non-combustible fire classification?
10. Does the product meet indoor air quality certification?
11. If you are looking to reduce your carbon foot print other things to consider are:
12. Is the product compression packed for reduced transport cost?
13. Is it made from sustainable renewable or recycled products?
14. What chemicals are used in the making of the product like formaldehyde, petro chemical, bleaches, dyes and or borax? There are products on the market such as Earth wool that do not use any of these products
15. The company you choose should be able to answer all these questions quickly and professionally to give you confidence in their product and service. Furthermore, they should be able to offer websites for you to further investigate the products they use. Companies that have warehouses for you to view their products also offer greater security and credibility.
16. If the consumer encounters inadequate installers, defective products or shoddy workmanship they should contact the installer to rectify the situation. If the situation is not rectified they should contact the government hotline 1800 808 571 and or the Department of Fair Trading.
This document has been produced as a guideline and cannot be considered legal advice, it is always best to consult the government or your legal representative directly if you have any specific query or problem.
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