If you or someone you know is thinking of building a new home, consider the tangible advantages insulated concrete homes provide over other residential construction methods.

Also known as ICFs, because of the stay-in-place forming technology (Insulating Concrete Forms) used to construct the structural building frame, insulated concrete homes give Wisconsin homeowners what they want and need: a beautiful, healthy home that is strong, safe, quiet, comfortable, highly energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly.

In this age of ever-rising energy costs, the thermal performance value of ICF wall assemblies can be equal to R-40 or R-50 stud wall construction, providing superior energy efficiency and significant energy savings.

ICF Homes are also the safest place to be in a storm. ICF structures provide significant resistance to storms, fire, and wind-blown debris. Within the storm damage across the southern half of Wisconsin on August 18, 2005, when a record 26 confirmed tornado sightings were reported in the state, an ICF home under construction in Stoughton stood strong against the onslaught of storms and wind-blown debris. Click here to see how ICF construction withstood record storm conditions.

With such impressive advantages, little wonder Wisconsin is one of the top North American markets for insulated concrete homes, ranking third in 2006 for ICF installations, behind only Minnesota and Ontario, according to a report from the Insulating Concrete Form Association (ICFA).

Insulated concrete homes represent one of the fastest-growing sectors in the construction industry today.  ICFs are hollow blocks made of expanded polystyrene that a construction crew stacks and braces to create the foundation and exterior walls of a new residence. Workers then add reinforcing steel and fill the gap (typically 4 to 8 inches) in the foam block with ready-mixed concrete. After the concrete has hardened, the forms stay in place and provide a insulation sandwich for the walls while also serving as backing for interior drywall and exterior finish systems (lap siding, brick, EIFS, etc.)

The Construction Supply Division of Schmitz Ready Mix is a distributor for ECO-Block, the world’s most advanced ICF technology. To learn more about Insulated Concrete Home construction in Wisconsin, contact our Project Associate, Jeff Madsen: 414.831.2458 • JMadsen@schmitzmix.com.

Explore the external link below and discover why you should insist on building with ICF technology for your new home.

ECO-Block | http://www.eco-block.com

You are on the Insulated Concrete Homes (ICFs) page in the Homeowners Portal of schmitzmix.com.