'Snowing in my house:' Halifax woman says dust started to fall after insulation upgrade

A Halifax woman is speaking out about what she describes as constantly falling dust that began to appear after an insulation upgrade through Efficiency Nova Scotia.

The work was done on Stacie Pennell's home in February 2020 at no charge through the organization's HomeWarming program.

Pennell hoped it would make her home more comfortable, but said since that time, she's found she has been spending a lot of time cleaning dust.

"I can't keep up with the dust. My eyes are killing me, my throat is sore and I really don't know what I'm breathing in," Pennell said.

"I won't eat in here because in the sunshine you can see it all flying around, and so it terrifies me."

The program she qualified for is aimed at improving the energy efficiency of homes and resulted in the application of spray foam insulation in the unfinished basement, which was covered by a thermal barrier.

Efficiency Nova Scotia, which runs the program, was created by the provincial government to help Nova Scotians improve their energy use. The organization is an independent non-profit regulated by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Pennell had to leave the house while the work was done, but said she flagged the problem to Efficiency Nova Scotia when she noticed the excess dust.

"I was cleaning and I noticed I can't keep up with this, so I called that April or May and I said, 'I have a problem. There is something wrong with the barrier.'"

Pennell has lived in her north-end home for 42 years and said no dust of this kind was present before the installation.

"It seems to be snowing in my house," she said. "I vacuum and five minutes later, I come in and have a look and it's like I didn't even do anything."

The dust, she said, accumulates throughout the home showing as tiny particles on surfaces and floors that she believes are being blown around through heating vents. Her floors have become slippery as a result, causing her to fall on one occasion, she said.

Not comfortable eating in her kitchen anymore, Pennell said she often gets takeout and eats it in her car.

Efficiency Nova Scotia said it has been to Pennell's home to investigate the issue a number of times and cannot explain what is happening.