Spray foam trade association moves to end ‘pitched battles’

The trade body representing spray foam firms has acknowledged that some ‘bad actors’ within the sector have caused issues leading to homes with pitched roofs being difficult to sell.

The Property Care Association, which has many members that apply spray foam to roofs, has now created a new type of membership to offer homeowners access to specialists who can help them rectify problems.

This means householders will be able to “access practical guidance, centred around identification, evaluation and the recommendation of appropriate actions”, its announcement reveals.

“Spray foam has been used for many years, but its use in pitched roofs has received a lot of negative publicity as many surveying professionals and financial organisations have raised concerns regarding the potential effects of poorly applied or inappropriately specified foam,” says James Berry (main image), Deputy Chief Executive of the PCA.

“As a result, the presence of spray foam may significantly affect a surveyor’s valuation of a house, with many mortgage companies refusing to lend on such properties.

“For surveyors and property professionals, sprayed foam could potentially pose an issue when evaluating and reporting on the condition of structural roof timbers, ventilation and moisture management.”

The launch of the new membership category comes after the PCA contributed to new guidance in 2022 as part of a cross-industry group, which offered a defined course of action for the inspection of properties with spray roof insulation.

Concerns

Berry adds “The new membership is a progression from our work two years ago and marks the next step in helping to address householders concerns across the UK.

“Those affected by poor installations had no route to seek advice on how to deal with the issue, but the new PCA membership, which has stringent requirements for entry, means there are now trained and recognised professionals who will be able to provide assistance.”

The PCA is not alone in taking action. The Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA), which includes makers and installers, surveyors, valuers and lenders, published a code of practice on spray foam installation in May last year.

And much of the ‘negative publicity’ Berry mentions has followed estate agents and surveyors warning of the problems they face when spray foam has been incorrectly or inappropriately applied by ‘cowboys’.

Unscrupulous

This week further criticism of the sector came from Brett Ferguson (pictured), who is a chartered surveyor with DM Hall in Perth.

Ferguson said he was aware of “unscrupulous operators trying to make quick cash by duping homeowners into paying large sums for spray foam, and then not fitting it properly.

“It is not unknown for people who have spent, say, £5,000 on having their roof sprayed to subsequently have to shell out £25,000 or £30,000 for a new roof in order to make their property mortgageable again.”

But Simon Storer, Chief Executive of the Insulation Manufacturers Association, told The Neg: “Spray foam is a valuable and useful product when it has been installed properly and efficiently.

“And in the vast majority of cases the product is put in correctly. Mortgage lenders are now more willing to look at it when it has been properly installed,” he said.