Caution over DIY underfloor insulation
2 Oct 2007Thinking of DIY underfloor foil insulation? Read this - it could save your life.
So far this year three people have been killed installing foil-type underfloor insulation when they've stapled the foil into power cables.
The combination of working on possibly damp ground, using a metal staple gun, and accidentally driving a staple through the insulation material into a power cable has been fatal.
Even switching off the mains power during installation may not protect you. This is because a staple driven into a power wire may not be noticed and the whole of the underfloor insulation could become live when the power is switched on - creating a lethal trap for the next person who crawls under the floor.
If you're going to install foil-type underfloor insulation, be extremely cautious about the location of electric cables. If you've got cables running on the undersides of your floor joists, have them moved to the side of the joist before you start.
Use a rubber gloved hand to operate the stapler, and have a registered electrician test to make sure the foil isn't live after you've finished.
