Spray foam removal in Peterborough

Why spray foam has become a problem

Spray foam was sold to a lot of homeowners as a quick insulation upgrade. Many only find out it's a problem when they come to sell or remortgage. Plenty of lenders and surveyors are wary of it, because it covers the underside of the roof, hides the condition of the rafters and battens, and can trap moisture against the timber.

We've removed foam for a customer whose sale was being held up by it. The surveyor who came round afterwards commented on the quality of the job.

Open-cell or closed-cell

Open-cell foam

Soft and spongy. It comes away more readily, but still needs care round the felt and battens so nothing is damaged on the way out.

Closed-cell foam

Hard, dense and stuck fast to whatever it was sprayed on. It takes longer to get off, and it's the type where an inexperienced removal does the most damage.

We'll tell you which you have when we look in the loft.

How we take it out

1. Look and quote. We photograph the foam and give you a clear written quote.
2. Make solar panels safe. If you have panels, we arrange an electrician to disconnect them safely and reconnect them after.
3. Remove the foam from the rafters, battens and underside of the felt or tiles.
4. Bag it and take it away. The waste leaves with us.
5. Photograph the timbers, so you have a record to show a buyer, surveyor or lender.
6. Leave the loft clean. Customers tell us we leave it spotless.

If the foam was hiding damage

Sometimes foam has been holding up felt that failed years ago, or covering a batten that has gone soft. If we find that, you'll see the photos and get a separate written price for putting it right. Nothing extra is done without your say-so.

Putting insulation back

Once the foam is out, the loft still needs insulating. We can top it up to 300mm or more with ordinary loft insulation laid between and over the joists, which keeps the roof timbers open to the air. It goes on the same written quote, so you can see the whole job in one place.