There is an extraordinary level of comfort inside a PolySteel home. What makes a PolySteel home so dynamically different from any other?
Uniform Temperature
In a PolySteel wall, there is a balance created by the heat being emitted from your concrete wall and your body heat loss. This balance creates a stabilizing effect on the interior environment, leaving you with an unequaled sense of comfort in summer or winter.
Another factor related to comfort is the temperature difference between the floor and ceiling. In buildings constructed of conventional materials, the temperature difference between the floor and ceiling will range from 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. By comparison, the temperature difference from floor to ceiling in a PolySteel home is typically less than 2 degrees Fahrenheit.
Quiet
The combination of concrete encapsulated within high density expanded polystyrene provides a superior barrier to the sounds and noises of the outside environment. This creates a cocoon of peacefulness in which to live.
Finished with standard 1/2" drywall, PolySteel walls have a laboratory tested minimum Sound Class Rating of 48.
Cleaner Air
A reduction in reactions to respiratory allergies is another comfort factor in a PolySteel structure. The effects of hay fever, asthma and other airborne allergies can be greatly alleviated as a direct result of the reduced leakage of outside air, which brings dust, pollens and other pollutants. Tests have shown that the infiltration and leakage into a PolySteel building is one fourth (1/4) that of conventional walls. In fact, the reduced air leakage of a PolySteel home, used in conjunction with properly installed fresh air exchangers and electrostatic air filters, can result in the best possible living environment available for respiratory allergy sufferers.
Security and Safety
A feeling of physical security results from being sheltered by impenetrable steel-reinforced concrete walls, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you are living or working in the most energy efficient and environmentally favorable structure.
PolySteel walls are 2 to 4 times stronger than the maximum design wind load required by the Uniform Building Code. PolySteel walls are bullet resistant and have been independently tested to withstand flying debris driven by a 250 mph wind. A PolySteel home is the safest place to protect you and everything you love from the dangers of severe weather. PolySteel has proven its resistance to tornados and hurricanes.
PolySteel walls are 4 to 9 times stronger than the maximum design earthquake load required by the Uniform Building Code.
PolySteel is the first insulating concrete wall system to pass the rigors of a 4-hour fire test without the addition of any wall coverings required to assist in its performance. PolySteel's unique steel ties hold the EPS foam together, further insulating the walls and providing added protection on the side unexposed to the flame. PolySteel's extremely low toxicity, smoke development, and flame spread, make our walls safer from the hazards of fire. The air tightness of PolySteel structures also inhibits the oxygen needed to allow a fire to spread rapidly.
Full Code Approval
PolySteel was the first form to be recognized by all the major code approval agencies in North America, and its technical leadership was instrumental in the development of the Prescriptive method for Insulating Concrete Forms, the standard now incorporated in the International Residential Code.
Protection from Mold and Termites
You will appreciate that your new project is protected from the danger and destruction of mold and termites.
American PolySteel has licensed the patented termite-resistant technology, Perform GuardŽ, from AFM Corporation, becoming the only major insulating concrete form (ICF) block manufacturer in the industry to incorporate this technology into its product.
Perform Guard is the only code-recognized method that allows foam plastic insulation to be installed below grade in the heavily infested termite areas of the country.
Common Black Mold
Mold requires an organic material, such as wood on which to grow. PolySteel forms contain NO organic material.
Hollow cavities can trap moisture, making traditionally constructed structures vulnerable to mold. PolySteel walls are made of solid concrete and have NO cavities which trap moisture.
Properly ventilated PolySteel structures guarantee low humidity, greatly decreasing the opportunity for mold growth because mold requires a relative humidity of 50% or higher to grow.
Savings
As a PolySteel homeowner, you'll save 30 - 80% on your annual heating and cooling costs! You'll also enjoy lower mortgage costs, less maintenance expense, and reduced homeowner's insurance rates.
Consider that if you ever decide to sell your PolySteel home, you're likely to recoup all of your investment and more because of its higher resale value!
PolySteel guarantees, in writing, you'll save at least 33% on energy costs over 2x6 stick frame construction with R-19 insulation! But, depending on where you live, your actual savings are likely to be 30 - 80%!
In most parts of the country, your PolySteel home can be insured for 10 - 25% less than conventional homes because of its resistance to fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes.
Earth Friendly
The structural strength of PolySteel buildings comes from reinforced concrete, a product of the combination of Portland cement, sand and gravel, which the Earth has in abundant supply. Concrete construction directly reduces the use of lumber for building, thereby helping to save the world's forests.
The super energy efficiency of PolySteel structures minimizes the amount of fuel burned for heat, saving our oil and gas reserves and reducing air pollution.
An ICF home can be designed in any style, and will accept any traditional exterior finish, such as siding, stucco, brick, or stone.
The quality construction and innovation of a PolySteel ICF home offer a superior living environment for you, the homeowner, while helping the home retain its value over time.