*
Hello – I a new to this forum… and so am not sure if the following questions are even appropriate. Please let me know if I am out of line. By way of introduction…I am a homeowner with some construction experience (just enough to get in trouble). My wife and I are planning to build our dreamhouse (20 year dream) over the next couple of years. We are in the exploratory and preliminary design stage of the process.
The ICF technology is very appealing but I have a few questions: 1) I have read that the ICF technology costs only 5 to 10% more than standard framing. But what kind of framing are they comparing to: 6″ walls with wraps inside and out and all voids filled with insulation, or basic 4″ walls with minimal attention paid to the insulation, or what? 2)I have also read that ICF’s provide better insulation than a framed house. Again what is it being compared to? 3) We live in a very humid environment. Will ICF’s condense water in humid environments? and 4) We live in the southeast (southwestern Virginia)I understand that there are insect problems with ICF’s in the southeast.
Where do I find relatively unbiased information on these types of questions.
Thanks in advance
David
Replies
*
Better make sure you have someone who knows what they're doing set the forms. I measured a house the other day that had ICF walls, and the front of the house was 13.75" wider than the back.
*David,There have been many discussions here about ICF construction. You should do a search. You might not find answers to all of your questions but you may find it interesting.Rich Beckman
*
I love ICF construction. I think it's superior to modern wood framed houses in every respect except that it's harder to change later. Not imposssible, though.
I can't say anything abour bugs, but there was a discussion here a while ago about bugs in foam and some posts by people with first hand experience.
As fort the insulation value and how it compares to different wood framing techniques - what difference will it make, anyway. You live in Virginia. Now, I don't mean to offend you, but surely small differences in insulation values won't make a lot of differnce in the cost of running a house. I'd guess you don't ever have more than a 40 or 50F degree difference between inside and outside.
Where you would notice a difference is in two major areas:
1. Sound control. The amount of noise transmitted from outside to inside depends almost entirely on the quality of your windows and doors.
2. I expect you could get away with a smaller HVAC plant than in a wood house because there is such a lot of thermal mass incorporated into an ICF house it evens out temp changes from day to night. (Mind you, I know next to nothing about cooling houses.)
*
Hello - I a new to this forum... and so am not sure if the following questions are even appropriate. Please let me know if I am out of line. By way of introduction...I am a homeowner with some construction experience (just enough to get in trouble). My wife and I are planning to build our dreamhouse (20 year dream) over the next couple of years. We are in the exploratory and preliminary design stage of the process.
The ICF technology is very appealing but I have a few questions: 1) I have read that the ICF technology costs only 5 to 10% more than standard framing. But what kind of framing are they comparing to: 6" walls with wraps inside and out and all voids filled with insulation, or basic 4" walls with minimal attention paid to the insulation, or what? 2)I have also read that ICF's provide better insulation than a framed house. Again what is it being compared to? 3) We live in a very humid environment. Will ICF's condense water in humid environments? and 4) We live in the southeast (southwestern Virginia)I understand that there are insect problems with ICF's in the southeast.
Where do I find relatively unbiased information on these types of questions.
Thanks in advance
David
*
For good information regarding ICF construction, try going to the talk forum at http://www.ICFWeb.com I would warn you, that some of the advice is convoluted and dreamstate wishful talk. Do as you have been told, research, research and research. Ask for the meat and potatoes (I went to school with Dan Quayle) facts and research reports. So many of these guys make claims that they think are real. Ian ICF Builders Network.