Spray foam insulation was previously considered the new, revolutionary solution to make homes more energy efficient. The material might be applied to the underside of a roof creating an insulating blanket over problematic places and possibly reducing heat loss. Spray foam was seen as a desirable modern alternative for home-owners wanting to make older properties warmer and more energy efficient.
But for certain ancient installations, the legacy has grown even more difficult. There are difficulties that homeowners are finding out years after the installation, poor workmanship, wrong applications, not enough thought about roof ventilation and not enough planning. Consequently, spray foam removal has become a growing concern in the UK home market.
And we need to differentiate between spray foam and bad installation. Spray foam can have valid uses if the building is correctly evaluated and the material is correctly supplied and placed. Spray foam removal is a concern mostly due to installations where the product was applied without proper consideration of the roof structure, moisture conditions, or ventilation needs.
Historic installations and the difficulties they brought
Numerous installations that now require spray foam removal were installed years ago when spray foam was being heavily promoted as a very simple way to improve insulation. Some homeowners were incentivised to perceive the material as a quick fix to cold lofts, heat loss and growing energy expenditures.
The problem is that insulating a roof is more than simply putting stuff in. A roof is a complicated building system, with ventilation, moisture flow, timber quality and external weather protection all playing a role.
If spray foam is applied directly to roof timbers or the underside of roof coverings it can impact on the movement of air and moisture through the roof space. There may be poor ventilation systems which may lead to moisture build up. Under some conditions, condensation can accumulate on or around timber and may contribute to deterioration over time.
Badly fitted spray foam may block airflow, cause humidity and threaten timber-framed roofs with rot, says the House of Commons Library.
Poor installation might therefore transform what was intended to be an energy-efficiency upgrade into a building maintenance nightmare.
The importance of workmanship
Inconsistency in previous installation quality is one of the key problems driving the current need for spray foam removal.
A well-thought-out installation should start with an examination of the building. Be sure of the condition and construction of the roof before applying insulation. Ventilation, moisture control and the quality of the underlying materials should also be examined, along with the compatibility of the particular foam system.
Where these issues were not taken into account, foam may have been placed in excess, to inappropriate regions or in a manner which blocked airflow.
One particularly important issue is that spray foam sticks well to the surfaces it is sprayed over. Once cured it might be difficult to extract from roof timbers without damaging the material underneath. Spray foam removal is much more difficult because of this.
In certain circumstances the faults may not be seen until the foam is removed. In other cases the damage may be revealed by the process itself due to moisture or the initial condition of the roof.
The trouble with hidden roof timbers
Another key factor in the increase in spray foam removal is the headaches it creates for property inspections.
Roof timbers must be checked for problems such as humidity, rotting and other faults. It may not be possible for a surveyor to evaluate those timbers as he would an exposed roof when they are largely coated in cured foam.
This is disturbing news.
This uncertainty might be especially crucial for a homeowner when selling or remortgaging a house. The lender wants to make sure the property they are taking as collateral is structurally solid and can be appraised correctly. Where the condition of crucial roof timbers cannot be ascertained, the lender may seek more inquiry or conclude that the risk is unacceptable.
It has become such a problem that the House of Commons Library has drawn attention to the difficulties householders are experiencing when trying to sell or remortgage properties with spray foam. It also observed that some lenders have been unwilling to lend against properties with spray foam in them.
Therefore, spray foam removal is no longer a matter of insulating performance. For some homeowners, it has become directly linked to being able to sell, remortgage or borrow against their property.
Surveying has become an essential aspect of the process
The approach to the problem has been progressively to examine properly rather than immediately assume that every installation must be removed.
This is an essential distinction.
Spray foam doesn’t equal a bad roof. That doesn’t mean every homeowner needs spray foam removal immediately. Industry guidelines has noted that some installations may present a reduced risk and that remedial solutions may occasionally be more appropriate than full removal.
This is why an independent assessment can be a useful first step.
The type of installation, how and where the foam has been sprayed, the state of the roof structure, ventilation arrangements and any signs of moisture or deterioration may all be considered by a suitably qualified specialist. This establishes a far more solid foundation for determining whether spray foam removal is necessary.
This is especially crucial as removal can be expensive and intrusive.
What makes spray foam removal challenging
It is seldom a good comparison to compare the removal of cured spray foam from a roof to the removal of traditional loft insulation.
Foam bonds well to timber and other surfaces. Mechanical removal is labour demanding and if not done properly might harm the base materials. In some instances removal will expose faults, which must be corrected before the roof can be regarded adequate.
There are practical considerations as well. Roof spaces are difficult to access and the task is physically exhausting. The removal process can create dust and debris and the garbage needs to be disposed of properly.
Spray foam removal can cost thousands of pounds, and materials on which the foam was put may occasionally need replacing, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy.
For this reason, when homeowners find ancient installations, they are sometimes caught in the middle of an expensive removal project and the unknowns of keeping the foam in place.
How it affects homeowners financially
Beyond the immediate expense of spray foam removal, there are indirect costs involved.
Spray foam can impact a property and may require further surveying. Lenders or prospective purchasers may want specialist reports. If there are flaws found, roof repairs might add significantly to the entire cost.
There can be delays as well.
A homeowner who is trying to sell may only discover the problem after a survey by a prospective buyer. If the buyer’s lender has issues, talks can become hung up as the parties try to determine if more investigation, remediation or spray foam removal will be required.
The same can occur with a homeowner applying for a remortgage. Years later a house that was easy to finance when the foam was installed could be handled differently as lenders and surveyors have become more wary of the hazards with specific installations.
Information from government shows there is no general government financial help now available to individual houses for removal of spray foam insulation.
This potentially leaves many homeowners with significant expenditures themselves, albeit the conditions of individual installations and any warranties or other protections would differ.
Why widespread removal doesn’t mean every installation is broken
Not all spray foam jobs are bad, so don’t let all the buzz about spray foam removal fool you.
The problem is more complicated. Even a material that can function well in a proper application can produce problems when improperly put or not properly considered in relationship to the building.
Recent industry comment is an indication of how big the quality problem is. More than 35% of the examined properties had faults caused by the spray foam, and many of the 500+ property inspections conducted detected deviations from a defined inspection process.
Those numbers also help explain why spray foam removal has become such a hot topic, and illustrate why individual evaluation is important.
A general approach risks undue expense for homeowners whose installations may be able to be adequately examined and controlled. Instead, not dealing with the problem of improper installation that creates real concerns for buildings can lead to a continuous degradation.
The necessity of not rushing into decisions
The new spray foam removal market has also generated a secondary problem of people being forced into unneeded work.
People who find out abruptly that spray foam can impact their mortgage or sale of their home may reasonably be concerned. All of this can leave them exposed to unwanted solicitations offering urgent surveys or demanding immediate removal.
So independent guidance is even more important.
What is actually wrong with the installation, has the roof structure been harmed and what does a lender or surveyor actually need should be the aim. Only then does a homeowner have the information to make an informed decision on spray foam removal.”
This is particularly crucial as elimination does not immediately mean that every mortgage or value concern would be wiped out. If there is an underlying fault to the roof, that defect may still need to be examined and corrected.
An age-old dilemma
Today’s demand for spray foam removal is really the result of decisions made years ago.
It was a quite fair objective for many homeowners: to cut heat loss, increase comfort and make an ageing property more energy efficient. The problem was caused by the fact that the installations were carried out without appropriate attention to the construction and condition of the individual roofs.
It’s more than just spray foam. The energy efficiency improvements should be seen as construction, not just items. Older homes can be intricate buildings and what works well in one property may not work well in another.
Spray foam removal may eventually become required for homeowners coping with historic spray foam, but it should be part of a studied process, not an instinctive response to the existence of insulation.
The first step is to assess the state of the installation and the building in which it is located. Where poor workmanship has led to real flaws, removal and remediation might be the right option. If the installation can be proved to be satisfactory, a complete professional inspection may be an alternative to unnecessary disturbance and money.
The bigger problem probably isn’t going away anytime soon. With more residences changing ownership and more homeowners looking to remortgage, historic installations will continue to be under investigation. The demand for spray foam removal will consequently remain a major concern in the UK housing sector.
“Ultimately, the experience shows that energy efficiency improvements must be approached with the same care as any other significant alteration to an existing building. Good insulation is about protecting a home, not creating an unknown quantity around its roof, value or future. Where older installations have not met that level, carefully assessed spray foam removal can be a vital aspect of restoring impacted structures to a stable foundation.