Call for action as survey reveals 35% of homes with spray foam have defect

The move comes as a national survey conducted by national trade body the Property Care Association (PCA) has found that 35% of homes fitted with spray foam insulation had one or more defects as a result.

In 27% of cases, this included recommendations to replace the insulation in the roof or replace the roof altogether.

The problems and costs involved are so significant that PCA has joined with the HomeOwners Alliance to reiterate calls for action from the government in a second letter to Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Minister for Energy Consumers and Rushanara Ali MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government).

Sarah Garry is Chief Executive at the PCA. She said: “Our survey of spray foam surveyors is, as far as we know, the only type of independent questioning on this topic to have happened in the UK to date.

“The results show that surveyors identified one or more divergence from the Sprayed Foam Inspection Protocol in 79% of properties and that surveyors identified one or more defect in 35% of properties as a result of spray foam.

“In 27% of cases, surveyors recommended major works, either replacing the insulation or re-roofing the property.

“We are calling on the government to step in and help homeowners, including those in the Staffordshire area, who might find themselves in a position where they are stuck and unable to sell, are unable to access equity release products, are faced with hefty remediation bills for removal or are being targeted by unscrupulous spray foam removal firms.

“Many of these homeowners are elderly and vulnerable and the reality is that the situation is getting worse, not better.”

The PCA helped author the Sprayed Foam Protocol alongside mortgage lenders and equity release companies and last year launched a register of surveyors, giving residents and lenders assurance that surveyors are adequately trained.

Earlier this year, the PCA, alongside a group of industry stakeholders, also published a guide for consumers who already have spray foam installed in their property, setting out concerns and signposting to advice.

Of the 21 companies included on the register of spray foam surveyors, 15 shared findings based on more than 500 property inspections carried out since the register was introduced in January 2024.

In the UK around 250,000 homes have spray foam insulation which, if incorrectly installed, can lead to condensation build-up, potentially causing timber rot or decay, mould and mildew growth or rust and corrosion to metal components.

Previously, the HomeOwners Alliance issued a warning to homeowners to avoid installing spray foam for the time being.

Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, Paula Higgins said: “The current position is unfair to homeowners who have taken reasonable steps, and in many cases were encouraged by government grants, to install the product.

“At the moment it’s not known how many of the properties referred to in the survey had spray foam installed with support of government grants. 

“We will support the PCA and Trustmark to identify these properties and continue to press government for recourse to be available to them.

“In the meantime, our concern is that people are being targeted by cold callers offering to remove spray foam insulation.

“It is likely that they have acquired details illegally and we urge householders not to engage with them and report the situation to their local trading standards office with concerns.”

Sarah Garry added: “We continue to ask the government to bring together a roundtable of specialist property experts, lenders and equity release companies, to agree whether spray foam should continue to be included within government grants and to agree a process to allow the sale of property with retrofitted spray foam.”

Property owners with spray foam can find more information and advice at: https://www.property-care.org/resources/spray-foam-insulation-consumer-guide , jointly produced by the PCA, Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA), Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA), Bangor University, Andy Wilson Financial Services and RPC.