Insulation Safety Inspections

The government plans to perform inspections on up to
* 150,000 homes insulated with batts or loose fill insulation
* 50,000 homes insulated with Foil Insulation (refer to Electrical Safety Inspection - Foil Insulation Only )

Many industry experts predict the number of homes that have safety or problems with their insulation could be as high 400,000 or about 30-40% of all homes insulated under the rebate. (SMH 17 Feb 10). 
Additionally it was not until the 1 November 09 that down light covers became mandatory under the rebate and a huge amount of homes were insulated prior to then.

Note almost all of the 140 house fires to date have been caused by insulation being installed too close to down lights and the absence of approved down light covers. 

Can You Afford To Wait For An Audit?
Well a lot will depend on how dodgy you think your insulation installer was and also how concerned you are about the safety of your home but if you are waiting for the government to provide an audit consider;
     1) Only 15% of all homes will be insulated 
     2) At current level of Government Audit it could take many years to complete &
     3) There is no guarantee that your home will ever be audited as they plan to only inspect 150,000 homes
You can contact the Government's Insulation Safety Hotline on 13 17 92


Reasons For Insulation Inspections:

• Safety -  Scared about the level of house fires from insulation & the risk to your home or family
  
• Non Compliance - Concerned your Insulation was not installed correctly or meet Australian Standards & Council R-Value Requirements
• Feel Ripped Off -  Believe you had a Dodgy Installers who at least ripped off the Government or worse yourself 
• To Make a claim - Need Proof of Insulation Companies failings to make a claim or complaint against them with Department of Fair Trading. 
• Selling Home - A large number of inspection requests have come from homeowners looking to sell their home and a condition of sale has been to ensure the home is safe
• Peace of Mind - Probably the biggest motivator for homeowners to seek an Insulation Safety Inspection is simply peace of mind...
  you may assume the government will look after this but indications are that only a 15% of homes will be inspected and the time frame could be very long.
  
  If you fear there is a risk to your home or family - you may not want to take the risk of waiting for the government which could be years before they perform an inspection on your home and there is NO guarantee they will ever inspect your home. 

 
Insulation Inspections:
In summary - The insulation inspector will perform the following checks on your insulation:

1. Safety Checks - Does the Insulation meet Australian Standards for clearances around down lights, electrical wiring, chimneys and other heat sources. If down light covers were installed that they also meet  Australian standards.
2. Non Compliance Checks - Was the Insulation installed correctly, completely cover your ceiling area and meet Local Council requirements for R-Value.
3. Damages Checks - Report any damages to ceiling, roof, lights or fan fittings that maybe as a result of the installation.

Inspection Report - On completion of the inspection you will be provided with a report detailing
     a) A list of what The Inspector has checked and a
     b) List of any issues identified by Inspector in regards to you installation in accordance with Australian Standards and best practices.
You can even request photographic evidence of any problems with your insulation installation

Note: Insulation Inspections cannot be performed on homes installed with reflective foil insulation or perform inspections of an electrical nature. For this you will need an electrical contractor who will perform an inspection under the Governments program for -  Electrical Safety Inspection of Foil Insulation

Cost Of An Insulation Inspection - About $150
The costs of an Insulation Inspection varies slightly between companies but is about a standard charge out fee for trade people to visit your home. The costs is also dependent on the location of your home and scope of the inspection. Note the government is paying Electrical Contractors up to $400 for Electrical Safety Inspections. So an amount of around $150 seems reasonable given this has to cover the cost of travel to your home, providing the inspection, providing you with a report on their findings and discussing your options regarding any faults or safety issues found.

Insulation Inspector can also quote you on:

• Urgent repair of any safety problems
• Arrange repairs of any damages to roof or ceiling.
• Installation of approved downlight covers
• Top up of insulation cover 
• Cover ceiling areas not insulated
• Removal of Insulation - if no longer wanted
• Installation of Whirly Birds to improve insulation effectiveness &
  
• Photographic evidence of insulation issues for claims against the installer

Insulation Inspections - Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane:
Insulation Inspections are currently performed by the following professional insulation companies: (Note all these companies ran successful insulation businesses prior to the rebate.)

Insulation Inspection In Brisbane
Outback Insulation	Outback Insulation has over ten years experience in the insulation industry. We specialise in supplying and installing thermal and acoustic insulation for ceilings in Brisbane and surrounding area. Our skilled tradesman and fully trained insulation installers will provide inspections with the utmost care and consideration. At Outback Insulation Brisbane we take great pride with the honest, reliable and professional service we bring to you.	Contact Outback For More Information
Insulation Inspection In Sydney
Demand Insulation	Demand Group - A leader in insulation, solar heating and ceiling cleaning industry serving clients for over 30- years in Sydney. Our experience and team will ensure professional, friendly inspection service.  Our philosophy is to fulfill customer’s needs. Based in Chatswood and servicing: North Suburbs, North shore Western suburbs and 30km radius from Sydney City area. We look forward to Inspecting your Insulation to provide you with peace of mind.	Contact Demand For More Information
Insulation Inspection In Melbourne
Enviroflex Insulation	Enviroflex was established in 1966 with a commitment to providing excellent service to our customers. Our goal is to provide our clients with quality products and quality service at the best price possible. We have a team of professional people who are interested in fulfilling these goals - from our installers, office staff to our directors. We pride ourselves on the high level of training we provide our installers & inspectors. We trust our experience and professional approach will reassure you about the safety of your homes insulation.	Contact Enviroflex For More Information

To request more information on Insulation Inspections or
To express your interest in having an  - Insulation Inspection From An Industry Expert.