Latest advice suggests spray foam insulation should be avoided

Our partners at Gateway Surveyors have provided us with an update on the potentially damaging results of installing spray foam insulation in your property. 

According to Gateway, there are a number of reasons this type of insulation should be avoided: 

• Polyurethane foam is potentially toxic – both at the point of installation and also in the event of fire.
• If used in cavity walls, it can cause bridging of the cavity leading to damp penetration.
• If used on the underside of a roof, moisture will become trapped, and lack of air circulation will eventually lead to rotting of the timber roof battens/framework. This will usually result in the roof needing to be replaced, which will be at greater expense than as standard because the solidified foam is extremely difficult to remove.
• Spray foam insulation used on suspended timber floors will undoubtably lead to dry rot of the floor. This could then easily spread throughout the property.

As well as potentially causing damage, the use of spray foam insulation could also make it difficult to take out further lending, remortgage or sell your property. Several lenders will completely decline a property with spray foam insulation in the roof.

Based on this latest update, we would recommend against installing spray foam insulation in your loft and floor to prevent the risk of having to deal with a difficult and expensive situation in the future.

This topic of spray foam insulation is currently being considered by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and we will update you again if and when they provide any further guidance on the subject.