Structural Benefits
Neither polystyrene nor concrete will ever rot or rust. Reinforcing steel, buried deep inside and protected by concrete's alkalinity, does not corrode
The high-mass walls of an insulating concrete form structure give it a remarkably solid feel. And make it a remarkably solid investment, too. While wood structures are expected to last decades, it only makes sense that a building made from steel reinforced concrete and high-density foam will last centuries.
Serious reasons to build with ICF's
More Than 250 Homes Burn as Wildfires Ravage Southern California!
More Than 250 Homes Burn as Wildfires Ravage Southern California: Powerful Santa Ana winds kicked up before dawn Sunday, driving two ferocious fire storms that had already burned more than 200 homes, across more lawns and rooftops. In a canyon at the edge of Claremont, about 50 homes were destroyed. Interestingly enough, the only home left standing, was a home built out of concrete for Mr. and Mrs. Bruce. “Even though the home needs extensive renovation, all of our possessions are intact” said Mr. Bruce, “Luckily, we built it using ICFs.”
I believe the ICF wall saved my life!
I believe the ICF wall saved my life, claims Mr. Ray Demczyk of Cape Coral, Florida. Early on the morning of June 26, 2004, as Mr. Demczyk and his wife slept inside their ICF home, a potential tragedy was unfolding outside. At approximately 2:00 A.M. an intoxicated driver was speeding down the Demczyk’s street, fell asleep at the wheel, and never noticed when his Pontiac Firebird left the road, became airborne, and slammed into the exterior wall of the Demczyk’s residence at a speed of 80 klm per hour. Stirred awake by a light thud, Mrs. Demczyk left her bedroom to identify some household object that had fallen to the floor. To her great surprise she found a set of headlights shining through her living room window. The ICF wall’s strength was evident once the cleanup had been completed and damage was assessed. A 1m x 1.5m section of the wall’s exterior finish suffered the impact of the crash, while the concrete wall itself remained unscathed.
When asked if he was surprised by the strength of the wall, Demczyk responded, "Strength, wind resistance, and insulation were the reasons I built with ICFs. It should cost me less than $800 to complete repairs to my stucco finish,” Emergency workers on the scene said that the speeding vehicle would have penetrated the residence and would have gone straight through had the walls not been concrete.
These are a few photos of the only home left standing in Ocean Springs when Hurricane Katrina pushed a 20ft (7mtr) tidal surge through.
Click on the images below to view in full size.
