Spray foam insulation

Farway

There was a very recent item, within last fortnight on Money Box radio 4 about this, mortgage companies just will not lend with spray foam whatever the spray foam folk say the valuation is always zero from every lender

Use your barge pole and walk away

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001fm12

Mikenlfc86

Thanks everyone, big red flags being waved here so I'm I posted.  We will look at other options. We currently have fibre glass insulation but wanted something else but looks like spray foam is not the answer

rowdy75

Earthwool slab between the joists, then strung in place would be cheapest option. Celotex cut to fit tightly between joists would be better option but expensive, and you need to check it meets building regs. Best option would be to overboard with full sheets of celotex fixed over joists with batten to stop any cold bridging but you would need a large loft hatch.

FreeBear

rowdy75 said:

Earthwool slab between the joists, then strung in place would be cheapest option. Celotex cut to fit tightly between joists would be better option but expensive, and you need to check it meets building regs. Best option would be to overboard with full sheets of celotex fixed over joists with batten to stop any cold bridging but you would need a large loft hatch.

In a loft, Celotex type boards that are a tight fit between the joists are OK. I would be cautious about covering the joists completely with the stuff. The aluminium foil facing is impervious to moisture, and there is a very good chance that interstitial condensation would form above the joists and below the insulation boards. This could cause rot to set in.. Fiberglass or mineral wool is much more preferable in a loft in my opinion - It will allow moisture to pass through, and can be bagged up for removal should the need arise relatively cheaply. It is also pretty cheap, easier to get up through even the smallest of loft hatches, and doesn't need precision cutting (I've used a wood saw before now to hack rolls up).

Scot_39

No personal experince, but this BBC articel seems pretty down - with some worrying comments re banks acceptence.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63607793

 

rowdy75

FreeBear said:

rowdy75 said:

Earthwool slab between the joists, then strung in place would be cheapest option. Celotex cut to fit tightly between joists would be better option but expensive, and you need to check it meets building regs. Best option would be to overboard with full sheets of celotex fixed over joists with batten to stop any cold bridging but you would need a large loft hatch.

In a loft, Celotex type boards that are a tight fit between the joists are OK. I would be cautious about covering the joists completely with the stuff. The aluminium foil facing is impervious to moisture, and there is a very good chance that interstitial condensation would form above the joists and below the insulation boards. This could cause rot to set in.. Fiberglass or mineral wool is much more preferable in a loft in my opinion - It will allow moisture to pass through, and can be bagged up for removal should the need arise relatively cheaply. It is also pretty cheap, easier to get up through even the smallest of loft hatches, and doesn't need precision cutting (I've used a wood saw before now to hack rolls up).

If it has a fairly modern breather membrane on the roof and not the old bitumen based covering it would be ok but yes earthwool (I would avoid fibreglass, nasty stuff) would probably be the way I would go, like you say much easier to get in and out of the loft.

juneanne

My bungalow had spray foam treatment to roof by the previous owners in 2001 for which there is a 25 year guarantee. Now find that this could turn into a nightmare. I'm not considering selling, but don't want my children faced with this problem when I'm no longer here and they come to sell the property. Am very interested to find that this treatment was offered under the Government's Green Home Grant Scheme taken up by approx. 250,000 householders! If, like me, you are affected by this take a look at a document in House of Commons Library entitled 'Spray Foam insulation and Mortgages'. In a nutshell it says that the RPSA (Residential Property Surveyors Association) will provide updated guidance in Spring 2023. I have 2 questions:- why should householders be penalised for taking up the Government's recommedation of an insulation method which now appears problematic - this should have been researched more thoroughly before offering it. Secondly, if anyone else is in my position would they consider helping to form a Group? I believe we would have much more 'clout' next Spring when further guidance is provided. I feel at the moment as if I'm going to be stitched up with the Government absolving themselves of any blame.

juneanne

Don't agree I'm afraid. Please don't reply again, I have enough stress looking after my husband who has advanced dementia. I welcome all comments kindly worded ('Because you are all adults' - not nice).

MWT

The lenders are free to decide what they will lend against, that is not something the government controls, the spray foam insulation was just one of the types of insulation available with the grant, it was not mandated as the only choice.

One of the lenders general concerns is the lack of documentation around the condition of the roof at the time the foam was applied, that again is not something under Government control.

Not sure where you would extract a basis for action from this... ?

ariarnia

i sympathise this is a stressful time and that this is a worry that something you did to save money and be sensible might bite you in the bum but maybe if your stressed about your husband this isnt a time to start something as difficult as this could be?

for what its worth it was harshly said but i agree with sparky that i dont think the gov should be responsible (with enough media pressure they might be but i dont think its right that tax payers cover the cost of repairing things people chose to have done). 

if you do want to fight this and think you were misled or sold a product you shouldn't have been sold then the argument you should probably make is that the people who installed it should have warned you about the risks as part of there sales pitch (at least mentioned possible problems).

but i expect they will either have disapeared (lots of companies set up to take advantage of grants then vanish before problems turn up) or will of been covered in the paperwork (that most of us dont bother to read).