Inert and nontoxic, the ready mixed concrete used in Arxx Insulated Concrete Homes is manufactured locally from abundant natural resources. Concrete contains recycled materials, including fly ash, which is a waste product produced by burning coal. Our fly ash comes from the power plant near Centralia, WA. Concrete is also recyclable. Using the Arxx for your next home, compared to building with wood frame construction methods, saves approximately 7-10 trees. And the expanded polystyrene used for the insulated, stay-in-place forms is inert, non-toxic, and can be recycled.

Building an Arxx Insulated Concrete Home also saves energy (and money). The greater insulation, tighter construction, and temperature-moderating mass of Insulated Concrete Walls conserves heating and cooling energy much better than wood frame construction, reducing monthly heating and cooling bills. Insulated Concrete Homes also dictate smaller heating and cooling equipment, saving money during the construction process.

Portland Cement Association studies show that homes built with ICF technology require approximately 45% less energy to heat and 35% less energy to cool than comparable wood frame homes.

The insulating value of the Arxx forms alone is R-22.4, compared to a typical wood frame insulating value of R-19, when ready mixed concrete is placed in the forms, Insulated
Concrete Homes take advantage of concrete's heat absorbing characteristic, "thermal mass," which moderates swings in temperature in your home, keeping the walls a little warmer when outdoor temperatures are low, and keeping the home a little cooler when temperatures outside are hot. Arxx forms give a solid concrete wall, with absolutely no air infiltration.

These three factors, the R value of the form, concrete's thermal mass, and the lack of air infiltration, make Arxx homes so energy efficient, you would have to exceed R-40 to R-50 with conventional materials to equal their thermal performance.

Insulated Concrete Homes are Durable and Require Little Maintenance

Because of ready mix concrete, the structural framing of an Arxx Insulated Concrete Home will not rot, burn, or be susceptible to damage from insects or rodents. The expanded polystyrene foam used in the stay-in-place forms can also be treated for insect resistance.

Builder surveys indicate that fasteners sticking through sheetrock or drywall are their most common callback problem. Wood warps when exposed to the elements prior to putting on the roof and can continue to warp after the drywall or sheetrock is attached, causing nail pops and cracking. Arxx Insulated Concrete forms do not shrink or move, virtually eliminating nail popping.

Insulated Concrete Homes Promote Healthy Indoor Environments

Arxx Insulated Concrete Homes are virtually airtight. Minimal air infiltration, due to the continuous air barriers provided by the sandwich wall of polystyrene stay-in-place forms and ready mixed concrete, means moisture problems in an Arxx Insulated Concrete Home are held to a minimum, and mold development is minimal.

Insulated Concrete Homes are Very Quiet and Very Comfortable

Concrete walls built with ICF Technology effectively buffer a house's interior from the outdoors. The thick sandwich of ready mixed concrete between stay-in-place polystyrene forms sharply cuts fluctuations in indoor air temperature, air filtration, and noise.

The continuous layer of foam insulation in ICF Walls keeps the temperature the same everywhere in your home. ICF Walls virtually eliminate the cold spots that can occur in wood frame walls along the studs or at gaps in the insulation.

The air infiltration of the typical wood frame house is a thing of the past with Arxx walls. Air does not move through concrete walls. This lack of air infiltration causes many homeowners to notice less dust, and with a properly designed air exchange ventilator, can reduce allergies.