Concrete emits less volatile organic compounds (VOC) than wood. Mold can cause headaches, severe respiratory infections, and immune system disorders. Concrete resists mold and mildew more than wood. A concrete wall system limits the infiltration of outside allergens to the inside of the house.

Healthy HomesĬoncrete houses provide healthy environments with fewer airborne allergens, molds, and toxins than most wood-frame houses. In fact, researchers at the National Wind Institute of Texas Tech University found that the strength of concrete walls can withstand 250-mile-an-hour winds and flying debris. Wind ResistanceĬoncrete construction produces homes that can stand up to the severe winds of a hurricane or tornado. Unfortunately, while the flexibility (ductility) of a wood-frame provides some protection during an earthquake, it does not provide enough strength to keep the connection between the foundation and walls secure. A study at Construction Technology Laboratories (CTL) found that a lightly reinforced concrete shear wall has over six times the racking load resistance of a wood-framed wall. Reinforced concrete walls resist the compression and tensile forces produced by an earthquake. Homes built with steel-reinforced concrete walls provide the stiffness, strength, and ductility to withstand the destructive forces of earthquakes. During a fire, steel can melt, and wood can burn. Fire Resistanceįire-resistant concrete walls more effectively resist damage from fire and limit the spread of flames, compared to wood and steel. A solid and robust exterior concrete wall won’t dent, and therefore resists damage from hail and flying debris. Typical facades for a concrete wall include stucco, brick, or a concrete texture product - none of these products require painting.

Creates Low Maintenance HomesĬoncrete construction creates low-maintenance homes with wall systems that hold their shape and integrity for decades.The exterior of a concrete wall more effectively resists damage from wind and heavy rains than a wood-frame wall. Unfortunately, termites can destroy wood houses and cause thousands of dollars in repairs. Unlike steel, concrete does not rust when exposed to moisture.Concrete walls resist termites. Concrete walls do not rot when exposed to moisture by wind-driven rain, diffusion, or airflow. Resists Rot, Rust, and InsectsĬoncrete home construction provides a more durable wall system over wood and steel. Concrete also limits air leakage, compared to wood-frame construction - air leakage accounts for the most significant percentage of energy loss in a home. So, a concrete home will stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than a wood-framed house with the same amount of insulation. The high thermal mass of tightly sealed concrete walls, along with insulation, prevents drafting and creates an airtight high-performing, energy-efficient home.Ĭoncrete mass slows the movement of heat through a wall compared to wood. Benefits of Concrete House Construction 1. The lack of thermal resistance and the complexity of concrete block construction make ICF the best way to construct below and above grade walls for any home. In addition, builders can easily and quickly construct an ICF wall, compared to complicated and time-consuming concrete block construction. However, unlike ICF walls, concrete blocks provide little thermal resistance, so to achieve sufficient energy-efficiency, the walls require an application of insulation. Both methods furnish the many benefits of concrete house construction. Two wall systems commonly used to build concrete homes include concrete blocks and insulated concrete forms (ICFs).

Blocks house