When you construct your home, you want it to be as sturdy as is possible. This only makes sense, of course, as a sturdy home is one that will last you a long time. You want a home that your children can grow up in, that will still be around for them to show to their very own children. You want a home that will withstand forces of nature, from heavy thunderstorms to hurricanes. You want a home that will make you feel safe and sheltered and that, more than anything, will be a pleasant place to live.
For such things, the use of ICF systems and the ICF blocks that go along with it are guaranteed tools to use when you want your home to stand the test of time – of weather, of anything else that you might think of. ICF systems themselves have proven their longevity, as they have been around and in use for more than half of a century, ICF blocks and the like used not only here in the United States but all throughout the world. And there are many reasons, as this article will detail, that ICF blocks and other ICF products should be put to use in just about any construction project, be it for a residential home or for a commercial building of a much grander scale.
For one thing, the use of ICF blocks and other ICF home construction materials is one way to cut down on the typical costs accrued with traditional methods of construction by quite a considerable margin. The entire property is likely to cost less than it would be if constructed without the use of ICF blocks and other ICF products. In fact, the price can be reduced by as much as seventy five cents per each and every square foot – which might seem like a small amount of money but is actually quite considerably when you look at the savings for the whole property and not just look at it in small sections.
A homeowner that lives in a home constructed with ICF blocks and other ICF materials is also likely to save money in the long run, long after construction on the home has been finished and even long after the family has moved in and made their lives there. This is directly related to the fact that ICF blocks and other ICF materials can reduce heating costs as well as cooling costs, sometimes by as much as twenty five percent – and typically by no less than twenty percent. From year to year, families living in such homes are likely to save a considerable amount of money, especially if they live in parts of the country where both heating and cooling systems are very much necessary thanks to freezing winters and sweltering summers and all that they entail.
But why is this the case? How can ICF materials make this a reality? For one thing, ICF materials, especially when it comes to ICF insulation, can be up to forty percent lighter than the typical and traditional construction materials that would otherwise be used. Of course, this then allows the ICF insulation in place to provide top level insulation, better than what many other types of insulation would be able to allow. And there are more benefits to the use of ICF blocks and other such ICF building materials.
For instance, research has shown that ICF buildings are actually considerably stronger than buildings made from other types of materials – sometimes even more than nine times stronger but certainly no less than six times stronger. This makes them incredibly durable and long lasting, ideal for any structure be it residential or commercial. And as they are able to withstand winds that exceed four hundred kilometers per hour, they are also ideal for constructing buildings in places that are prone to natural disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes.
All in all, the use of ICF blocks and other ICF building materials is hugely important – and is only likely to grow more so in America.