Am in a house that has poltstrine insulation under the floor,was wondering if there should also be a covering of some type of building paper over it If so what type.
tigra,
Feb 26, 6:46pm
Dont have it myself but a neighbour had it installed and it wasnt covered with anything. Think the TV adverts show it naked as well
trade4us2,
Feb 26, 6:52pm
I don't think bulding paper is needed. Don't staple aluminium foil on the joists under the house. Several people have died doing that. One staple into the wiring may cause all the foil to be live and electrocute anybody who goes under the house at any time in the future.
russ18,
Feb 26, 7:34pm
Make sure cables aren't in direct contact with the polystyrene, can cause the insulation to harden over time.
shazpetal,
Feb 27, 6:03am
is that safe or will the coating eat away to leave exposed wires after time !
russ18,
Feb 27, 6:38am
The reaction is called plasticizer migration - the insulation can harden, become brittle and crack, suppose in worst case it could crumble leaving bare wires.
trade4us2,
Feb 27, 6:43am
In theory polystyrene will react with standard wiring other than non-migratory TPS. I can say that, after 20 years, the wire had "melted" into the polystyrene but looked fine after cleaning. I took weatherboards and the roof off to put conduit around my wiring. The insulation installer, electrician, building inspector, and the wiring inspector had no knowledge of the problem.
The above picture is NOT my wiring, just one I found on the net!
russ18,
Mar 26, 10:15pm
Wow, they really should know - it's no secret. There is even cable available which is compatible with polystyrene, coloured purple to identify it.
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