Spray foam removal, loft insulation and damp proofing in Harlow
EcoTrust Roofing & Insulation Ltd covers Harlow in Essex for spray foam removal, loft insulation, loft boarding and damp proofing, from our Sevenoaks office. Surveys for spray foam removal and loft insulation are free, and you get a written price before any work starts.
Harlow
Spray foam, loft insulation and damp in Harlow homes
Harlow was one of the first post-war New Towns, designated in 1947 and master planned by Frederick Gibberd. It was laid out as separate neighbourhoods, each with its own centre, including Mark Hall, Netteswell, Great Parndon, Tye Green, Latton Bush, Brays Grove and Sumners. The Lawn in Mark Hall is often described as Britain's first residential tower block. Old Harlow, the original village, keeps older brick and timber-framed houses.
Most Harlow homes date from the 1950s to the 1970s. Many are terraces with shallow pitched roofs, and some estates used flat roofs or non-traditional construction. Lofts are often low and tight, with the original thin insulation now flattened. A top-up to 300mm with Knauf mineral wool and raised boarding is the job we quote most here. Church Langley and Newhall are newer, with trussed roofs that need careful boarding.
Shallow, awkward lofts are exactly where spray foam gets sold as a shortcut. It is glued to the underside of the roof, hides the timbers and can trap moisture. Many lenders and surveyors are cautious about spray foam, and with so many Harlow homes now privately owned and changing hands, it often surfaces at sale or remortgage. We remove it by hand and give you a Certificate of Removal and a 10-year guarantee.
Damp in Harlow is usually condensation. Cold bridging around concrete lintels and panels, small bathrooms with weak extraction and cold flat-roofed extensions all add up. Older houses in Old Harlow and near the River Stort can see more ground moisture. We find the cause before recommending anything, and damp proofing comes with a 25-year insurance-backed guarantee.
Most common jobs in Harlow
- Loft insulation in New Town terraces
- Spray foam removal before a sale or remortgage
- Raised boarding in shallow lofts
- Condensation and cold walls
Recent EcoTrust jobs you can read in full
Real jobs, written up with photos. Each one is labelled with the town it was done in.
- Loft insulation in Worksop: 56m² of Old Fibreglass Replaced With 300mm Mineral Wool in One Day (Nottinghamshire)
- Spray foam removal in Burnley: 56m² of Open Cell Foam Removed From Loft and Cellar in 2 Days (Lancashire)
- Loft boarding in Lancing: 16.5m² Loft Stripped, Insulated to 300mm and Boarded on Raised Legs (West Sussex)
Where we work around Harlow
We cover CM17, CM18, CM19 and CM20 and the villages around Harlow. Not on the list? Call 0800 870 8086, we almost certainly still reach you.
Questions we get in Harlow
Do you cover all of Harlow?
Yes. We cover Harlow across CM17 to CM20, including Old Harlow, Mark Hall, Netteswell, Great Parndon, Tye Green, Latton Bush, Church Langley and Newhall, plus Sawbridgeworth and Epping nearby. We cover Essex from our Sevenoaks office. Surveys for spray foam removal and loft insulation are free, with a written price.
Can a shallow Harlow New Town loft be insulated properly?
In most cases, yes. Even low lofts can take mineral wool between and over the joists, and we work carefully into tight eaves. If you want storage we fit raised boarding so the insulation keeps its depth. At the free survey we check the space and ventilation and tell you honestly what will fit.
Is spray foam common in Harlow homes?
We see it in many New Town houses where the loft was too tight for rolls of insulation. It covers the roof timbers and can trap moisture against them. Many lenders and surveyors are cautious about spray foam, so it often comes up at sale. We remove it by hand and give you a Certificate of Removal.
Why does my Harlow house get black mould in winter?
In 1950s to 1970s Harlow homes it is usually condensation. Concrete lintels and panels create cold spots, and small bathrooms and kitchens often lack good extraction. Warm moist air settles on the coldest surface and mould follows. We check insulation, ventilation and cold bridging before suggesting anything, so you only fix what matters.
How much loft insulation should my Harlow home have?
Current guidance is around 270mm of mineral wool, and we lay Knauf mineral wool to 300mm. Many Harlow lofts still have thin insulation from when the New Town was built, now compressed by storage. We clear damaged material where needed and fit raised boarding. Our insulation work comes with a 10-year guarantee.
Free survey in Harlow, and a price in writing
EcoTrust Roofing & Insulation Ltd. Rated 9.97 on Checkatrade, 4.9 on Trustpilot and 5.0 on Google, with 500+ spray foam removals and 35+ years of combined experience.