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The Royal Institute of Certified Surveyors (Rics) has released a guide to keep consumers informed of the latest recommendations for using spray foam as a residential insulation method.
Around 250,000 homes in the UK have spray foam insulation, where the foam is applied using mechanical sprayers, which then expands to form a solid surface for roof, attic, wall and floor insulation.
The problem arises when it is used on roofs and attics where, over time, the foam tends to trap moisture around the wood joints, leading to rot. Hardened foam can also warp wooden beams.
This has resulted in many mortgage and investment firms refusing to lend to homes with this attic insulation.
A new Rics report written by experts in the field aims to educate the public on the pros and cons of spray foam installation.
The guide covers topics such as the impact of spray foam on house roof construction, thermal performance and cost.
It also covers the do’s and don’ts of installing insulation in homes and how accredited Rics members can help you value your property.
It was prepared to educate the public about spray foam insulation after Ricks notes that several cases involving trade standards were marked by low work standards, illegal modifications of listed buildings and high-pressure sales to vulnerable groups. for example the elderly.
Rics Senior Building Standards Specialist Sam Piplika comments: “We are excited to release this free consumer guide to spray foam insulation to the public.”
“Rics’ duty is to serve the community, so the focus of the guide is to educate and raise public awareness of potential issues with spray foam so that people can make informed decisions based on research and due diligence.”
“Rics is also part of an industry working group on this issue to help not only our members but the entire industry improve their products and services.”
Late last year, mortgage lenders warned homeowners to use a trusted supplier when installing spray foam insulation to ensure they don’t make their homes unmarketable.
The comments come after Nationwide announced a surge in the number of people installing styrofoam to insulate roofs, lofts and lofts to lower the cost of living.
In November, Chris Kirby, head of specialty distribution and key account management at The Mortgage Lender, said: “The risk of work being done by companies with a bad reputation is that the ingredients used are unknown, which can affect the quality of the roof. structural integrity.
Kirby suggested that the current cost-of-living crisis will be a “magnifying glass” for many borrowers in this matter.
However, he said: “Consumers and borrowers lack knowledge.”
Kirby stated that with the spray foam industry currently unregulated, “More work needs to be done in terms of regulation to get people on the right track as to who they should use or what type of insulation they should install. “.
“The mortgage market should also provide information about what type of isolation is being accepted.”
“Borrowers don’t want to be in the situation where they have spray foam insulation installed and then the property is no longer suitable for the current lender or other lenders on the market due to something that could have been avoided,” he added. . .
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