The benefits of ICF

Houses built in our neck of the woods need to be constructed well to withstand Mother Nature’s Canadian temperament.

 

One of the most effective methods in green building starts at the foundation with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF).

 

With their use, energy is conserved, and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced significantly, compared to their traditional 2 x 6 wood-frame counterparts, among other benefits which we’ll get to shortly.

 

A good home starts with a solid foundation

 

New home construction begins with a foundation being built on an excavated piece of land. Forms are used to create the foundation walls of your home. Traditionally, wood forms act like molds and are filled with concrete. Once the concrete is set, the wood forms are removed, and there you have your foundation walls. ICFs are different. Instead of a wood form, you have a rigid thermal insulated block, reinforced with rebar that gets filled with concrete and stays in place permanently, even after the concrete is set.

A look inside an ICF prior to concrete pour. Rebar inside of the rigid insulated shell helps to support and strengthen the concrete after it's poured inside.

ICF frames what will be the basement walls of this custom home, ready for concrete to be poured inside.

Benefits in a nutshell

 

• Studies have shown that homes built with ICF exterior walls can earn 30 – 70% savings in energy consumption and costs.

 

• They are tornado proof, and resistant to other types of major environmental disasters.

• They prevent 75% less outside air from coming in, saving your indoor air from dust, allergens and pollution.

 

• It’s five times quieter than a wood-frame foundation.

 

• It saves on time and labour.

 

• Building with ICFs saves at least 10 trees per home.

 

• They can be used on virtually any home, and finished with the exterior selection of your choice, including brick, stucco, siding and more.

 

Gentry Home Builders is proud to construct our homes with ICF. The start of a solid home begins with a sturdy foundation and the start of a green home starts with ICF.