In short
It can. Each lender sets its own policy, and some will not lend on a house with spray foam under the roof, while others ask for a specialist report first. The worry is that foam hides the roof timbers so nobody can check them. If your lender or your buyer's surveyor wants it gone, a full removal that leaves the timbers on show is the usual way forward.
This is a job for our Spray Foam Removal service.
Why lenders and surveyors are wary of it
The problem is what the foam hides. The RICS consumer guide on spray foam says that if the timber roof structure is covered with foam, it "cannot be fully seen or inspected". A slow leak or condensation behind the foam can rot rafters for years without anyone knowing. Which? goes further, saying spray foam "may even render a property un-mortgageable in the eyes of a lender" in some cases.
RICS also says the presence of spray foam could affect a surveyor's opinion of value, and that a surveyor may ask for an independent specialist report. Surveyors also have to follow the instructions of the lenders they work for, which is why two buyers with different lenders can get very different answers on the same house.
Does it always have to come out?
No, and anyone who tells you otherwise on your doorstep should be treated with suspicion. Which? warns that scammers target vulnerable homeowners by falsely claiming their spray foam is dangerous and must be removed. RICS also advises against accepting cold-call offers about spray foam.
The honest route is to ask the people who actually decide:
- Selling? Ask your estate agent or your buyer's solicitor what the buyer's lender has said.
- Remortgaging? Ask your lender or broker what their policy is.
- Staying put? Get the roof looked at. If it is dry and the foam is not causing trouble, you may choose to leave it.
What a proper removal looks like
RICS says spray foam is not considered reversible and that taking it off can damage the structure. That matches what we find. Where foam has been sprayed straight onto the felt, the felt has to come out with it. Here is how we handle it:
- We look in the loft and give you a clear written quote.
- If there are solar panels, we arrange an electrician to disconnect them safely and reconnect them after.
- The foam is cut out from between the rafters and bagged as we go.
- The rafters are cleaned back and treated, so they can be seen.
- Where the felt has gone, a new breathable membrane and treated battens go on.
- Loft insulation is laid to 300mm or more, so the house is not left cold.
- We photograph the loft before, during and after for your surveyor.
What we cannot promise
We cannot tell you what any lender will decide. What we can do is leave the roof timbers clean, treated and visible, with photos of every stage, which is exactly what a surveyor needs to see. One surveyor who inspected a loft after one of our removals commented on the quality of the job.
If another firm has already "removed" your foam, check it was finished. We have been called to lofts where foam was left hidden under new insulation.