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Concrete Form Insulated Homes
Concrete form insulated homes have grown in popularity tremendously over the last 30 years. This return to concrete, which has not been that popular since the end of the modernist period of home architecture, is due in part to the invention of insulated concrete forms, also known as ICFs. There are a number of benefits of using concrete form insulated homes.
One of the greatest benefits of using insulated concrete forms (ICFs) to build a home is the tight thermal envelope that they create. This gives the home a high degree of insulation, which serves to make it more air tight. Some of the advantages of a tight thermal envelope include increased energy efficiency, increased efficiency in both heating and cooling, and a reduction in both air leakage and water damage.
The Strength of Concrete Form Insulated Homes
Another advantage of concrete form insulated homes is that they are stronger than homes built with traditional wood framing. ICF construction is especially popular in the Midwest and southeast due to its ability to withstand hurricane force winds. These homes are more durable than any other type of construction, even having the ability to withstand fire for up to three hours.
You may think that concrete homes are ugly, but ICFs can give you a very elegant look with solid seamless walls built from the foundation up. ICFs are easy to use, which allows contractors to insert large doorways and windows, as well as to construct complicated radius walls. The exterior of ICFs can be finished with almost any material, including stucco, siding, or brick.
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