Another major benefit to building with ICF is strength. Concrete homes have long been regarded as some of the safest homes anyone can choose. Tests have proven that ICF homes provide superior strength in high-wind situations. ICF homes have been proven to withstand up to 250mph winds, or an F4 Tornado. One of the best tests any ICF home has been through was a real-life application in Stoughton, Wisconsin. The ICF home in this situation was one of four being built. One night, a horrific storm blew across the town. During the night, an F3 tornado touched down in the newly established community destroying everything in its path. Three of the four houses were totally destroyed, the fourth home was built using ICF, the other three homes were traditionally built using wood framing. Aside from the windows needing replacement, and the roof needing some repair, the workers were able to return to work later that week and restart construction where they left off.
Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) takes a unique approach to the construction of exterior walls and foundation. According to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, Insulated Concrete Forms are “stay-in-place formwork for energy-efficient, cast-in-place (reinforced) concrete walls.” By combining the strength of a poured-in-place concrete wall with the outstanding insulation capabilities of high-density foam, the homeowner is given a truly unique home.