Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation

Urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) has been the source of much debate over the past three decades.

UFFI’s origins can be traced back Europe where in the late 1950’s it was developed as a means to insulate difficult to reach cavities in house walls.

The ingredients typically consist of a mixture of urea formaldehyde resin, a foaming agent and compressed air. When this mixture is injected into the wall, urea and formaldehyde unite and “cure” into an insulating foam plastic.

In Canada, UFFI was approved for use in exterior wood-frame walls only. It has a good R value rating which is used as a measure to evaluate the insulation’s ability to resist heat flow.

Formaldehyde is colourless, but has a very strong odour. Formaldehyde is both a naturally occurring chemical and an industrial chemical. It can be found in diapers, cosmetics, paints, cigarette smoke, dry cleaning chemicals, gas appliances, wood stoves, fireplaces, no-iron fabrics, paper products, exhaust from fans and glue from particle board and plywood.

Typically formaldehyde levels in houses are .03 to .04 parts per millions. By contrast, typical levels in a smoking section of a restaurant would be .16 parts per million. Houses with new carpeting can also reach these high levels.

The rate at which formaldehyde gases are released from materials into the air depends largely on the temperature and humidity. The higher the temperature and humidity, the more gas is likely to be released.

Urea formaldehyde foam insulation was used primarily in the 1970’s in Canada. This was a period where there was a push to have more energy efficient homes. During this period there were financial incentives offered by the government to improve the insulation levels in homes across Canada. The government program was called CHIP (Canadian Home Insulation Program) and UFFI became an important insulation product for existing houses. There were an estimated 100,000 homes in Canada that were insulated with UFFI.

UFFI was also used throughout the United States during this same period. It has been used for over three decades in Europe and is still considered today to be one of the best insulation solutions for existing dwellings.

UFFI was banned in Canada in December, 1980.

Why was UFFI banned?

During the insulation process, there would be an excess of formaldehyde added to ensure complete “curing” with the urea to produce the urea-formaldehyde foam. That excess was given off during the curing almost entirely within one or two days of injection. If the UFFI was properly installed there may have never been any problems. However, there were instances where UFFI was either improperly installed or used in locations where it should never haven been. One of the first problem cases stemmed in the United States. This involved an inadequately ventilated, air-tight mobile home with a poorly mixed, half-formed UFFI.

A lab study in rats which produced nasal cancer in a formaldehyde environment where there was high levels added to the concern. There were numerous home owners that reported respiratory difficulty, eye irritation, running noses, headaches and fatigue.

The Canadian health authorities became concerned about the possible health risks and consequently banned the use of UFFI in December, 1980.

The Federal government set guidelines to remove UFFI where the formaldehyde gas was .1 parts per million or greater. This was a very conservative figure. The interesting challenge became apparent as houses were being tested, they couldn’t find any UFFI insulated homes with gas levels above .1 ppm. In reviewing several thousand files, there was not one house with levels of formaldehyde that remained above .1 ppm. (If there was an atypical reading that was over .1 ppm another reading was taken and invariably would produce a result of less than .1 ppm).

The presence of UFFI does not affect the level of formaldehyde in the house. However, if UFFI comes in contact with water or moisture, it could begin to break down. In these instances, UFFI should be removed by a specialist and the source of the moisture problem should be repaired.

In one of the longest and most expensive civil cases held in Canada, which took eight years to settle, it was concluded by Quebec Superior Court, that not only was there no basis for a settlement but the plaintiffs were required to pay the majority of the costs.

It appears that urea formaldehyde foam insulation has not been the health concern that it was initially thought to be. However, anytime there is a health risk, it is best to err on the conservative side.

When I first began my real estate career, UFFI was a much debated and controversial topic. Concerns of cancer and other health issues made it very difficult to sell a home which was insulated with UFFI. Even if the UFFI was removed, fetching market value because of the perceived problems was very difficult. Most buyers shied away from these homes. It was mandatory prior to 1993 for a mortgage insurer to have the seller sign a declaration stating that to the best of their knowledge and belief there was no UFFI used to insulate the home. Since 1993, a UFFI declaration has not been required.

Although, the focus on UFFI isn’t nearly what it used to be, as a seller the stigma may still hinder marketability. If your home does have UFFI you should enjoy your home and be assured that it is not the problem it was once feared to be.