Benefits
There is an extraordinary level of comfort inside a PolySteel home. What makes a PolySteel home so dynamically different from any other?
Comfortable – 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.
Comfortable – 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.
Comfortable – 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. Back to Top of Page
Comfortable – Security
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.
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.
Comfortable – Protection From Mold & 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 Guard®, 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.
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!
Energy Savings
We guarantee, in writing, you’ll save at least 33% on energy costs over 2×6 stick frame construction with R-19 insulation! But, depending on where you live, your actual savings are likely to be 30 – 80%!
- PolySteel walls are more energy efficient than R-40 insulated 2×12 stick frame walls.
- PolySteel walls minimize outside air infiltration, leaks, and drafts.
The R Value of PolySteel
Walls made of PolySteel perform, on average, like a stick frame wall constructed for R-40 insulation. This is because the Total Effective R-Value performance of PolySteel consists of three factors:
- The R-Value of the expanded polystyrene
- The thermal mass of the concrete
- The enormous reduction in air leakage.
As a result, PolySteel walls actually perform as high as R-50, or more in some areas of the country!
Lower Maintenance Costs
The three most common causes of exterior wall maintenance are termites, rotting, and painting. PolySteel homes are highly resistant to rotting and termites. Even homeowners in heavily termite infested areas of the country can now enjoy the advantages of PolySteel above and below grade with the recent introduction of PolySteel with Perform Guard® termite-resistant technology. The attachment studs of your PolySteel walls will securely hold any exterior you choose, including low maintenance brick, stucco, and stone. Back to Top of Page
Save on Homeowners Insurance
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 . Ask your local PolySteel representative if discounts are offered in your area. Back to Top of Page
Cost Comparison
On average, the homeowner pays about 4% more for an energy efficient PolySteel home over conventional construction, these initial costs are quickly offset by the monthly energy savings. 
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Higher Resale Value
If you ever sell your PolySteel home, you’re likely to recoup all of your investment! A recent study conducted by ICF Consulting Group concludes that for every $1 decrease in annual energy bills, the market value of a home increases between $10 and $25. That means if you save $500 per year on your energy bills, your house could be worth $5,000 to $12,500 more than a stick-frame house!*
Strong
Our patented (pending) PolySteel steel tie provides the strength, durability, fire resistance, and dimensional stability that are the hallmark of the PolySteel name. The open web design of both our steel tied forms and our NEW PolyPro composite tied form provides superior concrete flow and consolidation ensuring the strength and performance of the entire wall system. PolySteel forms simply produce stronger concrete. PolySteel is the only ICF Manufacturer to offer you a choice of steel or composite ties and flat wall or waffle grid forms. With PolySteel, you can be assured, you have selected the right form for your project, a form manufactured to the highest standards and backed by proven performance.
PolySteel Produces Stronger Concrete
PolySteel forms provide the ideal conditions for curing concrete. These conditions allow the concrete to achieve the greatest strength possible, creating a wall that outperforms traditional construction methods.
Concrete is created by the chemical reaction of cement combined with water. This reaction, called hydration, requires time and favorable conditions of temperature and moisture. Water is required initially to begin the process by making a cement paste. Once the compound is formed, hydration starts and continues as long as moisture remains. The process stops when moisture is removed by heat and evaporation, but can be restarted by adding moisture, even though this is undesirable.
This chart shows the compressive strength that is formed under various conditions of hydration. When the hydration process is controlled for the first 28 days, that is, when moisture is continually available in the mass, 100 percent strength is obtained. If hydration is continued beyond that point, strength continues to increase, exceeding 125 percent after 180 days. However, notice that various degrees of strength are obtained if improper methods of curing are used.
Chemical action in the concrete mix can be sustained by:
- Keeping the concrete wet 24 hours a day, using water and hoses.
- Applying a plastic cover over the concrete, trapping the moisture within.
- Covering the concrete with burlap, which is kept wet.
- Covering the concrete with fresh hay, which is kept wet. This method also aids against freezing.
As you can see, the self-contained environment created by the PolySteel form provides ideal conditions for hydration to continue up to, and beyond, 180 days. This creates a compressive strength in the concrete that exceeds 125 percent of the strength provided by conventional concrete curing methods.
Withstands Tornadoes and Hurricanes
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. 
Severe Weather Protection
PolySteel walls are 2 to 4 times stronger than the maximum design wind load required by the Uniform Building Code.
PolySteel walls have been independently tested to withstand flying debris driven by a 250 mph wind.
Blast and Ballistics Tested
PolySteel walls are bullet resistant and have been tested during blast demonstrations performed at Quantico Marine Corps Base during the Force Protection Equipment Demonstrations in 2003 and 2005. PolySteel withstood the force of 50 pounds of TNT exploded at a distance of 6 feet with no structural damage. 
Ideal for Seismic Zones
PolySteel walls are 4 to 9 times stronger than the maximum design earthquake load required by the Uniform Building Code. Any PolySteel structure built with our insulating concrete forms can be engineered to be resistant to seismic conditions.
Responsible
PolySteel is one of the most environmentally responsible building materials you can use. From the initial manufacturing process through decades of energy-saving performance, PolySteel forms provide a variety of benefits to our environment.
Conserves Lumber and Natural Resources
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 and the “greenhouse effect”, the cause of global warming.
No CFCs or HFCs
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) products DO NOT USE CFC’s in their manufacture. EPS is easily recognized by its unique appearance – thousands of tiny white beads fused tightly together, as found in American PolySteel forms®.
When (Chlorofluorocarbons) are used during the manufacturing process the release of those CFC’s has been linked to the destruction of the Earth’s protective ozone layer and an increased incidence of skin cancer (see below). PolySteel forms do not contain HCFC, formaldehyde, asbestos, or fiberglass.
Saves Energy
The superior insulation of PolySteel insulating concrete forms, tighter construction, and solid mass of the resulting concrete walls conserve cooling and heating energy much better than traditional wood-frame homes, reducing monthly fuel bills and allowing for use of smaller sized heating and cooling units.
According to research by the Portland Cement Association, houses built with insulating concrete forms (ICFs) require an estimated 32% less energy to cool and 44% less energy to heat than comparable wood-frame houses. And the bigger the house, the bigger the savings.
PolySteel Partnership with EnergyStar
In 1992 the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) began forging partnerships with manufacturers, retailers, utilities and energy-efficient technologies. American PolySteel is proud to be a partner in this program as the manufacturer of a super-energy efficient insulation product, and our PolySteel forms are labeled with the ENERGY STAR® logo, along with our own. We have long recognized the environmental benefits of building energy efficient homes and we are proud to label our Forms with this sign of federal recognition. For more information on this program, contact your PolySteel distributor or the EPA at 1-888-STAR-YES.
Recyclable
Although PolySteel insulating concrete forms produce very little construction waste the excess material that does result from construction is 100% recyclable. PolySteel forms are also made from recycled products.
