What Is the RICS Stance on Spray Foam Removal?

Nathan

September 17, 2025

With talk about property sales falling apart and surveyors down-valuing properties fitted with spray foam insulation, it’s only natural for homeowners to grow uneasy.

But is this concern unwarranted? What do the official bodies, like the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), have to say about spray foam insulation? Since there is a chance of mortgage rejection with spray foam, it’s important to understand what industry bodies are saying.

Let’s check out the RICS stance on spray foam and why removing it is often the best course of action.

Insights Into the New Spray Foam Consumer Guide From RICS

RICS’ commentary on the use of spray insulation agents has made the news previously. Still, we have to go to their most recent releases to figure out their stance on the spray foam insulation (SFI).

RICS released a spray foam consumer guide in 2023. Here are the broad strokes from that document for your convenience:

1. Homeowners Should Be Aware of the Risks

RICS acknowledges that there are downsides to installing (and leaving) foam insulation in a loft.

For one, it could “mask” problems in the roof. The dense foam could hide leaks, and you might not even realise that your timber needs repairs until it’s too late.

And if the foam wasn’t installed properly, you could end up with condensation. This can cause the timber to rot under all the foam. Spray foam problems are common overtime, leading to many wanting to remove this insulation.

There’s also the fire safety aspect since spray foam products usually contain combustible polyurethane. If a fire ever catches in your home, the insulation in the roof could increase the extent of the damage.

Finally, RICS notes that the energy-saving claims made by the manufacturers and installers might not apply to your home.

With all these risks in mind, it’s not hard to see why surveyors recommend a total SFI removal.

2. RICS Warns Against Using Spray Foam in Protected Buildings

The consumer guide warns homeowners against installing spray foam if the property is considered listed or protected.

You’d have to get approval before the installation. Considering the risk of damage that the foam could cause, you likely won’t be able to get the approval.

3. The Mineral Wool Method Is a Better Fit for Standard Lofts

Now you might be wondering: If my building isn’t listed or protected, does RICS recommend spray foam insulation? Not exactly.

Odds are, your roof is actually a loft void, which means it’s habitable and doesn’t need to be heated.

Think about it. You wouldn’t use the foam to insulate the ceiling because it could affect your pipes, wiring, and smoke alarms. So, you’ll have to spray it on the underside of the roof tiles. There, the foam will block the ventilation (increasing the mould risk) and waste energy.

Instead, it could be better to fit mineral wool insulation at the ceiling level. This way, your insulation will be directly above the living areas, where you want to lock in the heat. Besides, it’s cheaper to install.

4. You Shouldn’t Trust Just Any Spray Foam Removing Service

RICS’ new guide also highlights how dangerous faulty installations or removals can be. As a general rule, you shouldn’t accept unsolicited, cold-call offers for anything relating to your loft insulation. There are disreputable contractors out there!

Stances on Spray Foam From Other Bodies and Alliances

Aside from RICS, other bodies have also released guidance and/or warnings. We’re not an official body, but we are vastly experienced in spray foam and provide our own selling home with foam insulation advice. Besides our guidance though, here’s what the RPSA and the HOA have to say about spray from insulation:

RPSA

The Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA) is an independent surveyors’ trade body.

Back in December 2021, the body published guidance that recommends removal if there’s no technical information available for the existing SFI product.

That said, RPSA’s chairman retracted the guidance later.

HOA

The consumer group Home Owners Alliance has issued a warning regarding spray foam.

One of the main points raised in their warning is that the insulation makes it harder for surveyors to inspect the roof and identify risks. So, mortgage lenders could be unwilling to approve homes with spray foam insulation.