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Thermal Heat Loss:
How much can you save by building with ICF blocks? A lot! Many studies have been conducted that determine that heat loss in a home equates to higher heating and energy bill. The trick is not how much heat a heating system can produce, it is how long can we keep it once it is produced.
All home lose heat, even extremely well built ones, its a simple law of physics. Some products however, can slow down heat loss tremendously while other simply cannot, and should be considered as must have items in the construction of the home.
Unfortunately, many home owners find themselves in the uncomfortable situation where they have to choose between a bigger house with less appointments and a smaller home with more appointments. If you spend less on your wall system it will translate into a larger house, one with much larger heating bills as well.
While number vary tremendously, some manufactures have estimated saving in annual heating cost of over 80%. If your building a 2500 sq. ft. home which budgets out at $250 per month that represents a substantial savings. Saving $100 or $200 per month is terrific, but it does not tell the entire story. For one it considers only money, and not comfort, and for another the home has to be considered as an entire system.
Building an energy efficient home is not rocket science. In fact it is rather simple, provided you have done your homework and follow a few rules. A basement made with ICF block will save a considerable amount of energy, upwards to 30 or 40 % on the average heating bill. But remember, any chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Leaving over 1000 sq. ft. of uninsulated concrete on your basement floor will guarantee much less of a savings as well as warm air and cold feet. The average basement floor consumes 15 btu's of energy per sq. ft. per hour, winter or summer.
This is the same reason why traditional poured walls and block basements are so dreadfully inefficient. The uninsulated concrete in them absorbs heat from the basement all day long, 365 days per year. Uninsulated basement walls can lose up to 55 btu's per sq. ft. per hour in colder climates. You can insulate them inside with thick foam and save heat, but then you trap moisture behind the wall which can cause mold issues later. Poured walls retrofitted with foam on both sides can sometimes wick up moisture through the footer, dramatically reducing their energy efficiency.
Ideally, for maximum savings, a home should be constructed from footer to the roof with energy efficient ICF blocks. The footer should be a well constructed drainage system such as Form-a-drain and the basement slab should be thermally insulated from the 40 - 50 degree soil with a continuous layer of foam topped with a continuous vapor barrier.
Due to the thick walls an ICF home produces, it is also possible to recess the window from the outside of the home into the frame and still have a nice wide windowsill inside the home. This building technique takes the window out of the slipstream of air therby reducing wind chill on the window and increasing its overall effectiveness considerably.
Care should also be taken so that the attic is extremely well insulated as well. Closed cell spray foam insulation should be used for maximum effectiveness with perforated radiant foil being installed on the underside of the roof decking prior to placement. This helps to reflect back the radiant heat of the sun an helps to trap heat inside as well.
While no system is perfect, much can be done to insure that the next home your build is as energy efficient as possible. This page only touches on some of the many steps which can be incorporated into the outside shell of the building. Many other choices such as passive solar heating, geothermal heating systems and other can help to greatly reduce yearly heating costs, and more importantly, provide one of the most comfortable living environments on the planet. Check out our product details to see how a home is constructed.
How Much Can You Save?
Understanding R-Values in massive systems!
Stronger! Safer! Quieter! Energy Efficient! Built to Last! User Friendly!
Build it with ReddiWall ! Build for Life !!!
Truly a stick built house. See all the sticks nicely conducting heat to the outside of the home. Ouch!
Energy Efficient ICF!
Energy savings you can actually see!