5 Drop Ceiling Safety Issues Explained

A drop ceiling is an inexpensive way for you to add a finished lower ceiling to a room that may not be used much. A basement is one such area where a drop ceiling is used. There are several drop ceiling styles one can choose from where the tiles are more stylized than the standard tiles you would see in an office. A drop ceiling, however, has a few qualities that make it a safety hazard. The article that follows will share with you some of the safety concerns associated with a drop ceiling.

1. Flimsy Installation

A drop ceiling is, essentially, a suspended ceiling. It is held to the existing roof by metal supports. The supports that are used are not very thick. Once all of the tiles are in place they put a lot of weight on the metal supports. The trick is that there are many supports which work together to hold the drop ceiling in place. If any weight is added they run the risk of collapse. This added weight can be light fixtures, insulation, duct work or wiring. The more you put between the actual ceiling and the drop ceiling adds to it the chance of collapse.

2. Possible Exposure to Toxic Fumes

The space between the drop ceiling and the fixed ceiling is known as a plenum. This space acts as a fresh air return system for the air duct system. Low-voltage cables are supposed to be installed in here in the event that if they were to short out and burn that the toxic gasses would not circulate. Unfortunately this kind of wiring is not often installed in order to save money on the electrical.

3. Flooding and Water Damage

Duct work is often installed in the space between the drop ceiling and the fixed ceiling. This duct work is usually for air flow which includes air conditioning. This fact leaves plenty of chances for the moisture to build up and then drip down to the drop ceiling tiles. After some time the water will soak the tile and it can begin to rot before it completely fails. If there happens to be a mishap with the air conditioning unit flooding is a strong probability.

4. Hidden Faulty Wiring

One of the main problems of having a drop ceiling is that it can hide faulty wiring as well as bad wiring from being detected. The problem with this is that if there is a short or an electrical fire it may be too late. This is because the insulation will smolder and contain the fire until the smoke finally gets to the room below the drop ceiling.

5. Perfect Home for Infestations

The space between the drop ceiling and fixed ceiling is often a home for rodents. Rats and mice love the air flow in the space, the moisture from the duct work and will feed and bore through the insulation. This causes many problems in the long term as mice and rats often carry disease. Over time their waste can find its way to the floor below.