Yesterday we talked about spray foam insulation, and how homeowners who want to choose this green home renovation option can sometimes end up with a headache, or worse, end up not being able to live in their home at all. But with contractors installing it improperly, and few wanting to touch it after it’s been installed and needs to be taken out, is there anything homeowners can do to ensure that that green reno really works for them the way they dreamed it would? Well, aside from getting a really good contractor there’s little you can do to ensure that the foam insulation will be installed properly. But finding one is all part of protecting yourself in the event that something that goes wrong.
The only way you can really rest easy knowing that you’ve hired a good contractor is by knowing what to look for when you hire one. To do that you need to make sure that they’re certified by the Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association (CUFCA.) The CUFCA has courses (as we talked about yesterday) for contractors to learn how to install spray foam properly, and they also make the promise that they will help homeowners who have problems after installation – giving you one level of protection.
But while you’re checking that your contractor has been certified by the CUFCA, you also need to check what their replace and/or repair policy is. You want to not only ask the contractor how they’ll be willing to help you in the event that something goes wrong with your insulation, but you also need to get that in writing. If that insulation is installed improperly, you’ll find that there’s little worse than a contractor that’s not willing to do something about it. And because so few contractors will have anything to do with spray foam insulation once it’s already in, it’s important you ensure that the one who put it there in the first place will take steps to mend the problem.
But the one reason homeowners install spray foam insulation in the first place is because they want to make their home greener, using better products that won’t harm the environment, will help them increase their energy-efficiency, and all in all, have a happier home and a happier environment. Tomorrow we’ll take a look at just how green spray foam insulation is in the first place, so you can decide for yourself if this is the greenest way to go about protecting your home from cold and heat.
