Tim Kallmer
12-23-2008, 12:26 PM
This is more a rant on the rubbish builders and installers are spreading to discredit inspectors or at least defend their actions.
CIMA (CIMA - Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (http://www.cellulose.org)) advises a 3-inch clearance from their products to chimneys and flues in their technical bulletin #2. I have also personally spoken to two technical reps from two different manufacturers confirming such. So I commented on this finding in my report.
http://img251.imagevenue.com/loc408/th_59121_IMG_0027_122_408lo.jpg (http://img251.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=59121_IMG_0027_122_408lo.jpg)
Turns out the builder absolutely refuses to sweep the insulation off and away from the flue.
Here is an exerpt from their subsequent correspondence:
"I spoke to [name removed] just a minute ago. He is adamant that this is not an issue and that the fire department reinforces his position on the safety of this material and its proximity to the flue. He is confident that this is proper and does not agree that this needs to be addressed. He has told me that they have built houses over the last four years with this same material. He also stated that any house fires that have happened in the past, any damage was minimized by the fact that they use this material. The bottomline is that the manufacturer advises a certain tolerance, but the city inspectors have latitude within the tolerance to approve, which has been done on all the houses within this subdivision and apparently with all the homes that [name removed] has built over the past four years. [emphasis mine] [name removed] is not going to make a change that he has confirmed with the city inspector that meets the city's building fire code."
Now, I don't doubt this is a great product and that it is fire-retardant due to being chemically treated. And I have also seen the studies regarding its excellent properties in house fires. But it is downright SCARY that builders, installers, and/or AHJ are adapting, diminishing, derating or otherwise changing manufacturers' instructions and recommendations.
I had to share my story and get it off my chest for what it's worth...
CIMA (CIMA - Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (http://www.cellulose.org)) advises a 3-inch clearance from their products to chimneys and flues in their technical bulletin #2. I have also personally spoken to two technical reps from two different manufacturers confirming such. So I commented on this finding in my report.
http://img251.imagevenue.com/loc408/th_59121_IMG_0027_122_408lo.jpg (http://img251.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=59121_IMG_0027_122_408lo.jpg)
Turns out the builder absolutely refuses to sweep the insulation off and away from the flue.
Here is an exerpt from their subsequent correspondence:
"I spoke to [name removed] just a minute ago. He is adamant that this is not an issue and that the fire department reinforces his position on the safety of this material and its proximity to the flue. He is confident that this is proper and does not agree that this needs to be addressed. He has told me that they have built houses over the last four years with this same material. He also stated that any house fires that have happened in the past, any damage was minimized by the fact that they use this material. The bottomline is that the manufacturer advises a certain tolerance, but the city inspectors have latitude within the tolerance to approve, which has been done on all the houses within this subdivision and apparently with all the homes that [name removed] has built over the past four years. [emphasis mine] [name removed] is not going to make a change that he has confirmed with the city inspector that meets the city's building fire code."
Now, I don't doubt this is a great product and that it is fire-retardant due to being chemically treated. And I have also seen the studies regarding its excellent properties in house fires. But it is downright SCARY that builders, installers, and/or AHJ are adapting, diminishing, derating or otherwise changing manufacturers' instructions and recommendations.
I had to share my story and get it off my chest for what it's worth...