At Alair Homes Chilliwack, we use only the best quality materials and the latest techniques and innovations to construct residential and commercial projects. Our crews are expertly trained and we are committed to building your home or business with transparency and dedication to the craft.
What is ICF?
One of the construction products we use at Alair Homes frequently is ICF or Insulating Concrete Forms—a monolithic wall system. Imagine four foot or eight foot Lego blocks made of Styrofoam, with spacers and ties (either plastic or metal), that can be stacked side by side and one on top of the other to create exterior or interior foundations and walls.
The forms sit on the footing and incorporate the rebar. Each is carefully measured, cut, and interlocked for a snug fit. The forms are braced with wood so they stay plumb as concrete is poured into the walls. They are then filled with concrete for a solid structure wrapped both sides in the insulating foam. Entire buildings can be built with ICF.
Benefits of ICF
Strength
The fact that the Insulating Concrete Forms are in direct contact with the footing and connected with rebar means the strongest bond possible. The vertical and horizontal rebar, and the connective ties used within the ICF wall system, ensures solid construction that can resist leaks, cracking, separating—any of the problems that might be associated with wood and concrete builds.
Tests prove that an ICF wall is 800 times stronger than a conventional wall. These buildings will stand the test of time—and anything Mother Nature can throw at it!
Insulation
The Styrofoam encases the concrete so the insulation is continuous and provides a seamless protection for the building, inside and out, providing higher effective R-values. There is more hot and cold transfer when using conventional building materials due to thermal bridging at framing members.
ICF is a Barrier to Fire and Sound
In standard wood and concrete builds, the walls will eventually burn and crumble, but with ICF wall systems there is nowhere for the flames to go. The interior of the home may receive damage, but once the fire reaches the exterior walls, there is nothing to consume.
BONUS – ICF walls provide an excellent sound barrier. Reduced traffic noises, and no intrusive neighbour sounds!
Because ICF homes qualify as concrete construction, insurance premiums are often reduced. Check with your insurance provider to see if they offer discounts for ICF homes and commercial structures.
Reduction of Construction Hours
ICF systems allow for faster and more efficient wiring and sealing applications, allowing parts of the building project to move much more swiftly.
Also, some exterior coverings require foam to be added to the outer walls before coverings are added. With ICF, the foam is already on the outside of the house—a lot of man hours and material costs saved!
Eco-friendly and sustainable
ICF Homes will last for generations . . . there won’t be problems with required updates or maintenance which means saving our resources.
Less fossil fuels and energy is used to heat and cool ICF buildings, so they are a great green solution! To make your home or business more eco-friendly, you can incorporate other green building and energy options.
ICF Can Save You Money!
“A study commissioned by the Portland Cement Association concluded that homes built with ICF exterior walls offer up to a 32-71 percent savings for heating and cooling costs over comparable wood-frame houses.” (from Ottawa ICF)
The R-value of an ICF home is higher than conventional homes, and the heat stays inside in the winter, and outside in the summer.
Less expansion and contraction through the seasons also means less repairs to the home. In this episode of This Old House, the crew uses ICF to complete an addition to a 300 year old home.
As certified installers of ICF systems, we can answer any questions you might have. Let us know about your building project and how we can help. Contact Alair Homes Chilliwack today!