Simon Baker, global president, Huntsman Building Solutions

Mortgage lenders play a crucial role in helping the UK meet its net-zero targets, and ensuring the nation’s housing stock undergoes key energy efficiency upgrades is a key part of the government’s net-zero strategy.

When installed correctly, spray foam insulation is a safe, highly effective and relatively inexpensive way of improving the EPC rating of Britain’s homes. However, misinformation and a lack of understanding about spray foam are rife.

What’s the fuss about?

When installed by a trained professional, spray foam insulation is an investment capable of driving down energy bills, improving home comfort and reducing carbon emissions. If it is coupled with the correct documentation to evidence its safe and efficient installation, lenders can be confident that spray foam adds long-term value to properties and investments.

With the right documentation, decision-making becomes easier for lenders

It is no secret, however, that the spray foam industry, like many trades, has suffered at the hands of unscrupulous traders. Often, this has left homeowners without the documentation needed to prove the quality of their installation, and caused understandable hesitancy among lenders when assessing perceived risk.

It’s all in the documentation

At a recent roundtable event, Huntsman Building Solutions sought the opinions of major lenders and surveyors and uncovered the lack of sufficient documentation as the key driver for application rejections, rather than the mere presence of spray foam in a property. As such, lenders that can distinguish high-quality and risk-free installations are putting themselves in a unique position to accept applications where competitors may not.

When installed by a trained professional, spray foam insulation is an investment capable of driving down energy bills, improving home comfort and reducing carbon emissions

The fact is, without enough documentation or understanding of the impact of the spray foam on building performance, lenders are unable to make a judgement call about the risk. But with the right documentation, decision-making becomes easier.

Key documents to request as part of the application process include:

– Product certification (BBA/KIWA) for the specific application.

– Product warranty.

– Authorised contractor certificate.

– Condensation risk analysis.

– Pre-survey form containing moisture readings in timber frame, type of membrane to apply to, and photographic evidence of the site before application.

– Installation form containing the name of the product, batch number, sprayer name and number, and photographic evidence of the site after application.

We are actively encouraging an open dialogue with lenders to help them make confident decisions

By obtaining this information, lenders can ensure the installation has been carried out according to industry guidance, providing recourse and a degree of certainty. Moreover, by asking the homeowner or buyer to provide these in full at the point of application, it’s possible to reduce both the administrative burden and the time taken to process the application.

Time to talk

In addition to an awareness campaign to homeowners on how to identify genuine traders, Huntsman Building Solutions is working with lenders and surveyors to help them cut through the noise around spray foam and identify the good, the bad and the ugly.

Misinformation and a lack of understanding about spray foam are rife

In addition to training them on identifying opportunities and risks, we are actively encouraging an open dialogue with lenders to help them make confident decisions and help homeowners safely improve their properties while protecting their assets.

To learn more about spray foam insulation, email us at: [email protected]