Questions we are asked

Foam sprayed onto the back of tiles, slates or felt can close off the ventilation path that lets the roof space breathe. Moisture that gets in from outside then has nowhere to go, so timbers stay damp and can start to rot. In some homes the first clue indoors is condensation or a stain on a ceiling. Not every installation causes trouble, which is why how the foam was applied decides the answer.

In a loft, a musty smell that lingers after the hatch is opened, dark or flattened insulation, and condensation on the roof timbers on a cold morning. Where a cavity has been filled, look for damp patches low on internal walls, blown plaster or a musty smell in a room. Write down what you have seen and where, so the specialist can weigh it against how the property is built.

The specialist gets into the roof space and looks at how the foam sits against the roof covering, whether eaves vents and other air paths are still clear, and the condition of the timbers around and behind it. Loft insulation depth or cavity fill can be looked at in the same visit if you have booked that survey. What was found is then explained, along with whether anything needs doing.

Go by what you have seen. Foam visible in the roof means a spray foam survey. Bare joists, or insulation that has flattened over the years, points to a loft insulation survey. Damp patches on internal walls of a house with cavity fill suit a cavity wall insulation survey. Say in the booking notes which rooms or areas are affected.

NI Spray Foam Surveys takes the booking. The survey itself is done by a specialist spray foam firm, which visits the property, inspects the roof or wall and sets out what it found. If foam needs removing, insulation topping up or timbers repairing, that same specialist firm does the work, agreed directly with you. The booking side sits with this website; the property work sits with the specialist firm.

Book a spray foam survey and copy the surveyor's wording into the booking notes, along with your target completion date and who can give access. The specialist can assess how the foam was applied, whether the roof space is still ventilated and what state the timbers are in. That gives you something specific to raise with the seller or your lender.

Yes. Note in the booking which rooms are affected, whether the tenant can provide access, and any photos they have taken of damp or condensation. Older properties, converted roof spaces and lofts that have been boarded over all take a little longer to check, so mention those details too. A landlord can book and deal with the specialist firm directly.

Timing comes down to how busy the spray foam firm is and where in Northern Ireland the property sits, and the date is settled once the booking is placed. On the day, the time spent depends on the size of the roof space, how much is boarded out or boxed in, and whether a wall is being examined as well.

The survey you book carries a set price, and the amount is visible before you go ahead. Spray foam, loft and cavity wall surveys are listed separately, since each needs different time on site and different equipment. Anything advised afterwards, such as removing foam or adding insulation, is costed by the specialist firm after it has seen the property, and is not part of the booking.

A builder may offer to strip the foam out or cover it over without first checking whether the roof can still breathe or what the timbers underneath look like. A specialist starts with how the foam was installed, the airflow around it and the condition of the wood, so the advice suits that particular roof. That order of work matters when a lender or a buyer is asking questions.