New research seems to reveal that more than half of UK surveyors are unfamiliar with spray foam insulation and have a limited understanding of the material; leading to concerns over whether their lack of knowledge is preventing homeowners from exploring the benefits of spray foam insulation.
Commissioned by Huntsman Building Solutions, the research sought the opinions of a cross-section of UK-based surveyors* and found that 41% possess limited knowledge of spray foam and 17% have very limited knowledge about this type of insulation.
Of those who feel they have a good understanding, 92% of professionals believe that spray foam insulation provides better insulative performance for homes than traditional materials such as mineral wool or PIR boarding. And whilst 81% say that spray foam in a property influences the advice they give to mortgage lenders, over half (52%) of these surveyors also said they have no reservations about spray foam.
Despite this, many banks and lenders take a blanket approach to lending on homes where spray foam is present, suggesting that more collaboration is needed between the various sectors involved in the insulation industry to promote better unification on the standpoint towards spray foam.
Simon Baker, President of Huntsman Building Solutions, says surveyors, lenders and spray foam manufacturers must work together to support homeowners in maximising the energy efficiency of their properties with spray foam insulation.
“The current state of play regarding surveyors and lenders is holding homeowners back from keeping their homes warm and saving money on their heating bills with spray foam insulation. To change this, lenders, supported by surveyors, need to build a better understanding of spray foam and adjust their approach.”
“As a responsible manufacturer, we are already committed to supporting these efforts. To form a new code of practice which will be adopted by the industry next year, we are collaborating with the Insulation Manufacturers Association, alongside industry bodies including the PCA, RICS and the RPSA.”
“Our ambition here is to see the establishment of requirements that we already adhere to as a business, such as pre-installation assessments, installations being carried out only by trained professionals and a full paper trail of documentation on installations, upheld as standard throughout the industry.”
“It is our aim that with more in-depth training and an industry code of practice that works for everyone, surveyors will be encouraged to show lenders that a change of view and approach towards spray foam is urgently needed. As one of the most energy-efficient and innovative insulation materials available on the market today, homeowners should be able to confidently adopt spray foam. With education, we hope that lenders can adjust their approach and be more holistic towards the use of spray foam rather than writing off homes with installations done to a high standard.”
From February, Huntsman Building Solutions is also introducing a training course for surveyors where they can learn more about spray foam and the installation process, as well as how to effectively inspect homes with spray foam and understand the installation documents.
To learn more about the surveyor training courses visit: https://huntsmanbuildingsolutions.com/en-GB/professional-solutions/surveyors/surveyor-training
*sample size of 85
