Why Use ICF for Your Foundation?

After decades in the construction industry, all of us at ICF Constructors have seen our fair share of building damage. Complex designs, although aesthetically pleasing, have massive potential to default, due to the numerous components that all must fit together perfectly. Inconsistent ventilation proves a common problem, especially in newer high-rise buildings, because proper exhaust systems are difficult to maneuver to function properly. One of the most common defects in construction of buildings is the lack of fire prevention features. After seeing so much devastation throughout the years related simply to the construction of the project, Insulated Concrete Forms grew into the method that withstood all of these problems.

Noted as impressively sturdy and resilient, ICF foundations have the power to overcome each of these obstacles. The strength in the concrete is the core reason these buildings are so impressive.

As published through the ICF Builder: The Insulating Concrete Forms Magazine, this building method was able to withstand powerful forces and come out entirely unscathed. One instance was when an out of control car, speeding at fifty miles per hour, smashed into the side of a residential home. The car was irreversibly damaged, the entire front end of the vehicle smashed in. The home, however, sustained no damage to the concrete nor the drywall on the inside of the garage corner that took the impact. The four-inch core of steel-reinforced concrete simply took the hit, protecting the integrity of the home.

Similarly, a home settled in the Bahamas, just a few hundred feet from the Atlantic Ocean, survived the harsh category four winds of Hurricane Dorian. Winds reaching up to 130 miles per hour ripped through standard wood-framed housing, but still standing tall was the home designed with the disaster-prone environment in mind. While at least sixty percent of the homes in this region were either destroyed or severely damaged, the strength of the ICF foundation allowed this home to remain entirely intact.

Insulated Concrete Forms have been boasted as the strongest foundation design. However, when push (literally) comes to shove, ICF has proven to live up to the rumors. Whether you are building in the middle of Oklahoma, known for its high concentration of tornadoes, or in the middle of the busy streets of Chicago, ICF construction proves the most comfortable option for the sunniest days and the safest option for scariest days.