Has anyone had their roof insulated using spray foam? If so has it made much difference?
Posted Jul 5, 2022, 2:05 PM UTC
923
Isn't that the stuff that's really difficult to remove, can cause an increase in humidity and damp therefore damaging roof timbers and can potentially devalue your property or even make it impossible to mortgage?
22
Not sure if it's the same stuff but there was a Rip Off Britain episode about it too. If I remember correctly the homeowners had to pay thousands to get it removed
4
You need a lot of ventilation in the roof space otherwise you'll get condensation and rot issues with the timbers.
Spray foam is a terrible idea and it has no place in a roof. Don't do it.
(I'm a surveyor, trust me on this!)
19
Is that the case even with the open cell spray
3
The only one I'm familiar with is the 2 part product that expands when it's sprayed on and that's awful stuff.
2
My dads mate... massive condensation issues and cant remortgage... 0/10 dont recomend
13
Avoid anything that can't be removed easily. Just get normal insulation and install that.
9
Currently trying to buy a house that has spray foam installed. If you ever want to sell I would advise against it, looks like our sellers are going to have to rip it out as no one wants to offer a mortgage on it.
8
I’d recommend normal roll insulation, much easier to install and doesn’t stick to absolutely everything
7
I've worked on a couple of houses where we've had to completely replace the entire roof, timber, tiles and ceilings because it's all rotted because of this stuff.
5
Its probably not a good idea without a proper survey as to whether its correct for your property
(and a proper survey, not a salesman who wants to get their commission)
The two main problems is that it can cause condensation and therefore rot on the roof timbers. And it sort of glues itself to the timbers and tiles so roof repairs is problematic.
Have a read here
https://www.1stassociated.co.uk/articles/spray-foam-insulation.asp
3
Thanks for the info
1
Just buy a few rolls of loft roll
2
I thought about it, made a post on r/DIYUK asking for opinions, and after 30 or so responses saying to absolutely NOT do it, I decided against it.
Very easy sell for unscrupulous companies to “insulate” your loft but what it actually does it create a moisture barrier. It’s very easy to apply and an absolute bastard to remove, and there’s lots of stories of lenders not entertaining properties with the work done.
2
Thanks
1
It certainly can insulate. But wasn't there a huge fire caused by that product.
There are fire safe insulation solutions. Rock wool and fiberglass.
1
In addition to everything said about the humidity and potential for damp and mould, there was a news story from the US about a family that had it done and the foam had a horrible smell that permeated their whole home. Apparently it smelt like fish.
Sounds like a bad idea all round.
1
Yes, there was something off with the mix. Unfortunately there are a lot of people installing this who don't know how to do it right.
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Celotex smells fishy and is a similar product but comes in sheets
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It's great for making the roof timbers rot quickly
1
Generally 99% of the time, UK ‘normal’ construction houses have what’s called a ‘cold roof’ which means that the roof is designed to be - unsurprisingly - cold. You insulate and vapour seal the roof where the living spaces meet the roof (that’s why there’s plasterboard and insulation on the floor of the loft). You also need decent ventilation in a cold roof to avoid damp.
There’s no point to these spray foam insulation installs. They go against the design of the house and the way we’ve built homes in this country for a few hundred years.
Don’t do it. It solves a problem that doesn’t exist. And causes more problems.
Presumably you’re concerned about heat escaping your home? Add more insulation to your ceilings. See if your boiler could be replaced with a newer more efficient one. Swap your windows and doors if necessary.
1
I'm a roofer and I've been installing both residential and commercial spray foam roofing insulation for years now. It definitely makes a difference, especially in the summer. It's not uncommon for the temperature inside an attic to be upwards of 150 degrees without any insulation. With spray foam, you can bring that temperature down to around 85-90 degrees. It also helps in the winter by keeping the heat in your home from escaping through the roof. Overall, it's a great investment and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve the energy efficiency of their home.
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Don’t do it, you’ll never be able to sell or remortgage because lenders don’t like it