Benefits for Home Buyers
ThermoFormed's large (8' x 4' x 8") panels maximize interior floor space, create fewer seams, and install rapidly. The wall system requires less concrete while retaining thermal mass without compromising strength."Over the last ten years, concrete prices have been remarkably stable. Recent price increases in other materials have generated interest in concrete building systems as never before. Labor savings and readily available materials make ICF's, feature for feature, one of the most cost-competitive wall systems in the US and Canadian housing markets."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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Major national secondary lenders currently provide lending programs that either reduce inital loan entry costs or allow the buyer to qualify for a larger home.
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ThermoFormed systems are considered to be masonry homes for insurance purposes. Insurance carriers generally consider this, the energy efficiency, the disaster resistance and the fire resistance of ThermoFormed when computing insurance premiums.
"Many insurance carriers are now offering a discount on a home-owners policy for an ICF home."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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"Energy savings and comfort are built into every ICF system. ICFs start with high R-Value... But that's not all! Air infiltration in an ICF home is minimal due to the continuous air barriers provided by the foam insulation and the concrete. Likewise, there are no convective currents within the wall cavities.
"The concrete walls of an ICF home have high thermal mass, which buffers the interior of a home from the extremes of outdoor temperature during every 24-hour cycle. This reduces both peak and total heating and cooling loads.
"This combination of R-values, low air filtration, and high thermal mass is believed to account for the amazing 25% to 50% energy savings of ICF versus wood or steel-framed homes."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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"With ICF homes, the equation is simple. No Rot = Less Repair and Maintenance. Neither polystyrene nor concrete will ever rot or rust. Concrete can even be exposed to the elements for centuries with few ill effects. Reinforcing steel, buried deep inside and protected by concrete's alkalinity, does not corrode."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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"The high-mass walls of an ICF home not only give it a remarkably solid feel, but they also make it safer for the family. And make it a remarkably solid and secure investment too. Concrete homes have a proven track record of withstanding the ravages of hurricanes, tornadoes and fires, when all the stick-built houses around them are in ruins.
Source: Portland Cement Association
"In fire wall tests, ICFs stood exposure to intense flame without structural failure longer than did common frame walls... it will not support combustion. Also, tests show that its tendency to transmit an outside flame source is less than that of most wood products."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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"Concrete homes have a proven track record of withstanding the ravages of hurricanes, tornadoes and fires, when all the stick-built houses around them are in ruins.
Source: Portland Cement Association
"In fire wall tests, ICFs stood exposure to intense flame without structural failure longer than did common frame walls... it will not support combustion. Also, tests show that its tendency to transmit an outside flame source is less than that of most wood products."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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"New ICF homeowners almost always remark on how unbelievably quiet their new house is, compared with their old stick-built home. They expect the new-found comfort and energy efficiency, but the peace and quiet - the protection from outside noise - never fails to surprise and delight them.
"In sound transmission tests, ICF walls allowed less than one-third as much sound to pass through as do ordinary frame walls filled with fiberglass. With double-glazed windows and ICF walls and beefed-up roof insulation, you will rarely hear street noises or airport traffic."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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"Building with ICFs is healthier for the environment in a number of ways: by minimizing the number of different building products involved in construction, by reducing the amount of waste generated on the construction site, and by lowering energy requirements for heating and cooling.
"ICF homes provide a healthy indoor environment too. Nothing held within or ordinarily emitted by an ICF wall is toxic. The measurement of the air contents of actual ICF houses shows an almost complete absence of any emissions."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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The ThermoFormed wall systems contain no ties, spacers or ends to restrict design versatility (location of openings for doors, windows, etc.).
"ICF homes can be designed in any style, and will accept any traditional finish including vinyl or wood siding, stucco and brick. Because custom angles and curves are easily created, it's simple to build in bows, bays, and radiuses (sic). And ICF systems accomodate any of today's most popular design features, such as tall walls, large openings, long floor spans, and cathedral ceilings."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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Successful construction and use of ThermoFormed Residential and Light Commercial buildings in varied geographical areas stands as proof of compatibility, construction efficiency and thermal benefits.
ThermoFormed meets the HUD criteria for grid-design equivalency.
"Originally developed in Europe (where concrete home building is standard), ICF systems have been used successfully around the world for more than 30 years. Thousands of ICF homes have been built in recent years throughout the United States and Canada. They have proven successful in every region and climate, from Orlando to Calgary. ICF systems are accepted by all the major model codes in the U.S., and by the R-2000 program in Canada."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association
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ThermoFormed systems are designed and engineered to be easily compatible with wood-frame, steel and concrete disciplines (design methods).
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Lightweight (approximately 10 pounds per panel) yet large (8' x 4' x 8") panels are easily handled and installed by one person. Installation requires no dimensional lumber bracing because the integral rail system plumbs, squares and levels the wall structure. "In-wall" scaffolding is easily installed between lifts. Therefore, no requirement exists for acquiring and setting up a separate scaffold system as the building construction progresses vertically.
"Although it looks new and different, anyone with construction experience can quickly get up to speed with ICFs... Once the crew has some practice, each ICF-built home requires less skilled labor and less total labor than a wood-framed home. And ICFs are very lightweight, so crews can stay fresh through the day.
"Likewise, ICFs present no problem for the sub-contractors who come after the walls are poured. Since holes, chases and rectangles are easily cut into ICFs with a knife or saw, installation of mechanical systems is a snap. The fastening of drywall and lap siding is just as fast and easy. And mid-course corrections, such as moving an opening, are no big deal - just saw it out and re-form. It's not more difficult to make changes to an ICF wall - it's just different."
Source: Insulating Concrete Form Association RETURN TO BENEFITS LIST
Green Walls Inc. - A licensed ThermoFormed Manufacturer
Visit the ThermoFormed web site for more information.
info@greenwallsinc.com
Contents Copyright 2005, Green Walls, Inc.
Visit the ThermoFormed web site for more information.
info@greenwallsinc.com
Contents Copyright 2005, Green Walls, Inc.