Unvented Fire Hazard - InspectionNews

Billy Stephens · #1 (**permalink**) 09-26-2009, 08:02 PM

Typical 2002 Subdivision.

REO vacant about 1 year.

Story was previous Resident used this bath to smoke in.

About 24 inch burnt looking Insulation noted ( some ) blown and stuck underside of the decking.

Bath exhaust fan covered by blown in insulation with no vent installed.

The other bathroom fan was the same installation but insulation was not discolored.

I'm thinking maybe another 15 minutes of fan motor heat build up before the Fire really got going.

All those Pretty Houses in the development probably has the same type of installations.
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H.G. Watson, Sr. · #2 (**permalink**) 09-26-2009, 08:23 PM

I've seen worse, purely attributable to tar staining not heat or electrical fire. I've seen this staining from pure stack effect unsealed openings where no fan was present, let alone working, in the homes of in-the-house-smokers.

Not an insulation issue, its the incomplete, non-installation issue of the fan not vented properly (at all) and not protected from insulation contact.

Billy Stephens · #3 (**permalink**) 09-26-2009, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H.G. Watson, Sr.

I've seen worse, purely attributable to tar staining not heat or electrical fire. I've seen this staining from pure stack effect unsealed openings where no fan was present, let alone working, in the homes of in-the-house-smokers.

Not an insulation issue, its the incomplete, non-installation issue of the fan not vented properly (at all) and not protected from insulation contact.

.
Really ?

Got Pictures of your worse?

Did I state anything was wrong with the blown in ? ( thread title unvented )

Looked like Burn to Me ( I was there.) Black pieces stuck to the underside of the decking 4 feet above the non vented and covered with 8 inches of insulation.( that's quite a Stack Effect.)

If a non vented and covered bath fan can not start a fire why would it need protected from insulation contact?

John Kogel · #4 (**permalink**) 09-27-2009, 08:59 PM

Good catch Billy. Stuff like that gets missed every day by HI's that don't explore past the hatch.