Insulation packed against a downlight
A fire risk that looks like good insulation practice.
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In short: Downlights without the clearance they require, recorded on an Austral handover.
The conflict
Insulation wants to be continuous. Certain downlights want air around them. Where the two meet, the fitting wins, because the alternative is heat with nowhere to go.
What we recorded
Downlights on an Austral home with insulation hard against them, in more than one location.
Why it gets missed
The insulation goes in from above and the lights go in from below, usually on different days by different trades, and neither sees the other's work.
What the fix looks like
Clearance maintained, or fittings rated for insulation contact. Both are ordinary, and both are the builder's item at handover.
The related item
Switches and lights inside the zones around a bath or basin, which we also recorded here and which is reported the same way.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Austral. Licensed building practitioners.
