Terms & Conditions

We are committed to meeting the expectations of our customers.  To ensure that you are ready for our installation crews, we provide the following additional information. Refer to the sections below that apply to your installation. If you have any questions, please call our Customer Care department at 800-620-8907.

Please note: Payments made by Credit Card are subject to an additional, non-refundable 2% convenience fee.

In General

Great Northern Insulation warrants that all insulation installed to open visible spaces in new and retrofit construction projects are to R-values indicated on our proposals only. Warranty does not extend to finished interior or finished exterior surfaces.

Structural and aesthetic installations (for example but not limited to: exposed or non-insulated valley rafters, wood or steel beams, headers, ladder framing, potlights, blocked or partially blocked soffits) which prohibit us from installing our products to maintain specified or Ontario Building Code insulation/air barrier/vapour barrier requirements, or designed/built-in thermal bridges are not the responsibility of this contractor.

Per CAN/ULC S705.2 (application standard for spray-applied polyurethane foam (SPUF) referenced in the Ontario Building Code), it is recommended that the customer provides the means to achieve 0.3 air changes per hour in the installation area for a period of 24hrs. It is advised and recommended that humans and pets vacate the property/job site during the installation of SPUF and for 24 hours after the install is complete. If anyone in the home has any allergies, breathing problems or sensitivity to strong odours (spray polyurethane foam has an odour during curing) it is advisable for them to be out of the house during installation. It is advisable to make alternate care arrangements for small children for the day.  If you have birds or animals please have them in an area where the installers will not have to worry about them getting outside or being exposed to the product while it is being installed.

Production vehicles can be anything from a pick-up to a 5-ton truck. We do not usually park in your driveway (only when access dictates such) and will require parking of our vehicle(s) directly in front of your property (within 100' max). Ensure that there is enough room for the truck to park.

We require clear access to all locations to be insulated.  Any items not removed from the area(s) of work prior to our arrival requiring removal by our personnel will incur a standby charge for the truck of $200.00 per hour. We are not liable for any damage incurred when moving client's possessions. Furthermore, GNI will not be held liable for any damage that results from removing/moving/working around moveable ceiling tiles or exterior siding.

GNI is not responsible for the disconnecting or re-connecting of any food storage device (fridge or freezer). The customer is solely responsible to ensure said devices are operational at all times.

We require 48 hours notice for any scheduling changes or $100 surcharge will apply.

Some applications are weather-dependent. GNI will not be responsible or liable to any other trades that might be scheduled if weather does not permit us to install.  This will be at GNI's discretion.  We will make every attempt to have this rescheduled as quickly as possible.

GNI cannot provide/determine an exact time that work will commence/finish. As such GNI is unable to provide any credits pertaining to work delay(s). Similarly, GNI is unable to provide any credits pertaining to any cost(s) of time spent outside of the residence/job site/project.

Due to ongoing training and recertification with Foam Masters and others’ certificates, at times this requires more than just the crew to be in your home. This is required for continuous quality assurance.

Our goal is 100% satisfaction.  If a client has any issues with the service offered or quality of work, you must make your claim within 30 days for which the claim is being made.  Payment in full is necessary in order to initiate all Great Northern warranties. Warranties and guarantees are non-transferable.

Our warranties include the right for GNI to repair or replace any defective installation or material at its own cost and no cost to you. If a client has any issues with the service offered or the quality of work, you must make your claim within 30 days for which the claim is being made.  Payment in full is necessary in order to initiate all GNI’s warranties.

In events of Inclement weather, and other unforeseen circumstances, Great Northern Insulation (and all affiliate companies) will not be held liable for delay, or failure to meet project schedules. Inclement weather and unforeseen circumstances include but are not limited to:

• Closed, or unsafe road conditions
• Restraints or requirements from any Government Agency (Including but not limited to closures as listed above)
• Binding orders of the Courts
• Forces of nature

If at any time during deployment of GNI’s work forces the employee delivering the products to the work site deems it unsafe to continue, they shall notify the place of work that the conditions are too unsafe, and scheduling will be adjusted accordingly. GNI, and its affiliates, will not be held liable for damages, extra costs, delayed schedules, incomplete areas of work, or delay in other trade contractors work as a result of these conditions. For more information, or to discuss the possibility of inclement weather, please contact Customer service or your Sales Representative.

Due to the nature of framing/construct practices, and/or the sequencing of installation that then limits/restricts routing of but not limited to furnace supply and return air ducting, ERV/HRV ducting, over-range and bathroom ventilation ducting etc.  that cause or may cause obstructed or limited access that impedes successful installation of insulation designed to thermally protect operation of devices and/or protect the integrity of the building envelope, GNI takes exception to fault/blame and therefore cannot be held culpable for performance failures caused by incomplete/missing/failed installation of quoted insulation normally designed to protect these devices or building envelope, in areas that do not provide unobstructed access to correctly install.

Attics (Blown Fibres)

We require clear access to the attic hatch.  If attic hatches are in a closet all items must be removed from the closet (clothing, shoes, etc) and any shelving which may be in the way temporarily removed.  All items which may be stored within the attic space must also be temporarily removed.
For attic removals (vacuum removal of existing insulation), ensure all items within the room containing the attic hatch are protected with a poly sheeting/tarping. Dust fallout is inevitable during insulating and removal operations. Please be prepared for some minor dusting for a few days following the installation. It is also recommended that you replace or clean your furnace filter or any other ventilation device.

If vermiculite presence is detected, GNI will not proceed with any work until asbestos testing has been completed and the vermiculite does not exceed the permissible concentration of asbestos fibres, as determined by O.Reg 278/05.

Spray Polyurethane Foam

We require a minimum of 5' clear access for our installers from the surface to be insulated.  All items left in the room must be covered with a poly drop sheet or tarp to protect these items from overspray.  Wherever possible, isolate the room/area to be insulated and close off all vents/cold air returns to prevent migration of odour or mist.

Crawlspaces must be dry and clear of all obstructions, debris, or stored items for our installers to access areas of work. We require a minimum of 5' clear access from the wall and a minimum 3' clearance for the underside of the floor joist to the floor of the crawlspace.  A residual odour from the manufacturing process will dissipate within 24 hours. Please ensure that adequate ventilation is provided/available when necessary.

The Installation of polyurethane foam insulation requires a fire protective thermal barrier and must not be left exposed.  This has not been accounted for unless otherwise noted.

All sprayed polyurethane foam is subject to a tolerance of +/- 1/4 inch (one quarter of an inch) irrespective of how the quote/contract/work order/purchase order was/is presented (e.g. R-Value, U-Value, mm, inches, etc).

Effective January 1, 2021 any & all insulating materials (including spray-applied polyurethane foam & rigid foam insulations) that contain hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) blowing agents will be prohibited (where the global warming potential is greater than 150) due to Environment & Climate Change Canada’s commitment to align with the United Nations Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol.  Post January 1, 2021 all affected insulations will require the use of hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) blowing agents.  Please be aware that GNI will provide an updated/revised quote for spray-applied foam insulation to be installed after January 1, 2021  if a quote was previously issued utilizing product with HFC blowing agents. Existing quotations/work for the supply and installation of HFC based products after January 1, 2021 will not be honoured (by law), regardless of the state of the job/project.

Thermal Barrier

We require clear access (within 100' of equipment/truck) to a hose bib (municipal water hook up). Equipment must be able to park within 50' of home/building. Ventilation or de-humidification should be provided in the area of work until the product is dry. Thermal Barrier applications can be weather dependent; freezing temperatures may require special installation trucks or a work area with temporary heat. Provide temporary heat to installation area to prevent freezing of product prior to its final drying. Drying time will vary with temperature and humidity.

Wall Retrofit

Interior and Exterior Drill & Fill operations require a minimum of 5' clear access from the walls for our installers; please move all furnishing, remove all fixtures and pictures/artwork from the walls to be insulated. Please note that we will be installing two rows of holes per wall joist cavity. One row approx. 6-12" down from ceiling level, and another row approx. 4' up from floor level. The holes are typically 1" in diameter and the finishing of these holes is up to the customer. Existing lath and plaster walls are particularly prone to cracking and spalling at the hole locations. Every effort is made to control this; however, every hole will not necessarily be 1" diameter. Please ensure that all blinds or drapes are removed from the room.

Delay Clause

Neither Great Northern Insulation or its Affiliate Companies, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees or agents are responsible or liable for any failure to perform its obligations under this contract, if it is prevented or delayed in performing those obligations by an event of Force Majeure or any event that could not be reasonably foreseeable. These events include but are not limited to:

• Acts of God
• Expropriation of any facilities or equipment
• Changes in the federal or provincial law
• War, riot or act of terror
• Rebellion
• Unusually severe weather or natural disaster
• Fires, explosion or other catastrophic events
• Strikes, lockouts or other employee acts
• Quarantine, both recommended self-isolation or orders from the applicable Public Health
• Disruptions to the Supply Chain due to Government shutdowns: including but not limited to Province, National, or Global declared epidemics/pandemics
• Any Province wide state of emergency, including but not limited to Province, National, or Global declared epidemics/pandemics
• Mandatory Government Shut Down

All schedules in regards to any delays will be openly communicated once the work is able to continue. Continuance of the work is fully dependent on the cause for the delay, and shall be subject to federal or provincial government and agency recommendations, as well as Supply Chain ability to continue supply.