Spray FOAM INSULATION REMOVAL.
Surface Preparation – Nationwide
Sprayed Foam Insulation Removal
Over the last twenty or so years, sprayed polyurethane foam (closed or open cell) has been used to provide an consistent, rapid and structurally sound insulation to the undersides of roofs. However, in more recent years, householders have found that when they come to sell, surveyors are unable to assess the wood work of the roof spaces (because the foam is stuck to it) and won’t give any guarantee of a roof’s quality as a result. The knock on effect of this is that prospective purchasers of the property can’t get a mortgage, and typically the stuff needs removing in a hurry!
The example on the right was the roof space of a Listed Building near York which had been liberally coated in Sprayfoam! (and in this particular case – the cost effective route for the customer was a complete new roof)
So… we can remove the foam but it needs to be noted than none of the 3 methods we use is without its drawbacks – and all are very messy, particularly if there is no rooflight / window in the loft – and the only access is through a small hole on a landing. If that is the only way in, it is also the only way in and out for us and the only way out for the removed foam!
Option 1 – Manually Hacking it out
It takes a bit of time, but probably makes the least mess because the foam comes out in lumps rather than powder. If the property is inhabited, this is probably the best option. Some surveyors accept a ‘less than total’ removal of foam- so long as the wood is visible up to the tiles.
But – the end result is the least ‘aesthetic’ because we will struggle to remove all the foam
Option 2, Dry Ice Blasting
Dry ice blasting shatters the foam and reduces it to a mixture of lumps and very fine flour like powder. One of the features of dry ice blasting is that the coldness means that condensation forms on freshly cleaned surfaces, and as a result in this instance means that the flour sticks to the cleaned surfaces. It is not a ‘dustless system’ (which it is typically advertised as) – the foam is the dust, and is copious! It is also quite a bit more expensive than option 3! If there is a membrane between foam and tiles, it will probably survive dry ice blasting.
It should also be noted that Carbon Dioxide is an asphyxiant, so for those occasions where ventilation may be an issue – where there is no window or loft hatch – or even worse where the foam is below a floor – care will need to be taken by the contractor to consider the confined space risks associated with the work.
Option 3, Traditional Grit Blasting
Traditional dry grit blasting effectivly shreds the foam,and is significantly faster than dry ice blasting. Yes, there is the disadvantage that abrasive is added to the foam that needs removing from the loft – but a large percentage of this bulk is the foam. All the systems are going to make a mess, and need the debris clearing from the loft afterwards. We wouldn’t recommend using traditional dry blasting if there is a membrane below the tiles, because it will get shredded by the blast.
But of all the systems – as can be seen in this loft in Peterborough – it leaves the roof cleanest and with the most foam removed.
Loft Space Preparation
For working in a loft, we will obviously need any householder’s property removed from the loft before we work. We also will need a floor to work from and to be able to clean afterwards. As you can see from the various photos on this page we will probably need to lie on our backs to work under the lower bits – we might need to be on stepladders / hop-ups to work on the high bits – a fully boarded floor is therefore an additional requirement – but does give better loft storage space in the long run too.
In this particular case we were having to move planks around to lie on – and there is always a risk that a hand placed in the wrong place- and we might find ourselves in the bathroom below!
