Frost Wall Foundation - West Peak ICF

Building walls can be done in a variety of ways. The ICF approach will be discussed in this article. We'll look at the materials used in this method and then list the conclusions drawn from them. If you are standing inside the house, we shall discuss the materials used from the inside to the outside. Gypsum wallboard is a substance that absorbs water. Mold and mildew can grow on damp Gypsum wallboard. EPS foam has excellent insulating qualities. It is 'constant and touching,' resulting in significant energy savings. Concrete is poured in a process known as a 'continuous pour.' Even if the concrete is poured in lifts, the concrete's adhesive characteristics allow the pour to be deemed continuous. EPS foam has excellent insulating qualities. It is 'constant and touching,' resulting in significant energy savings. 

Cementitious Finish - To achieve the desired look, a fiber mesh wrap is often placed on the walls, and synthetic stucco materials are added in two applications. Openings for windows and doors are commonly constructed with 2x12s cut down to the width of the foam blocks and braced to receive the concrete pour. J-bolts are used to secure the 2x's before the concrete pour. The openings have a problem in that they contain wood in the outside walls at the regions where water is most likely to enter the house. This opens up the possibility and likelihood of water entering at these points (the same as a wood-framed house.) Remember that as air flows through the return air, it pressurizes the air, requiring 'more air' to enter the house, frost wall foundation. This air will enter through the window and door locations, allowing water to penetrate deeper into the wall, into the wood 2x bucks, and further away from the edges. This lengthens the time it takes for the moisture to evaporate. This will result in the growth of mold and mildew.

Ease of construction - the trained skill level required to create the walls of a custom home is equivalent to that required to build a concrete block home or a wood-framed home by a qualified carpenter.