Icf Walls By Durisol Lets Smart Homes Heat And Cool Themselves

Icf Walls By Durisol Lets Smart Homes Heat And Cool Themselves

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There are many reasons we use the Durisol wall system in our eco-friendly home renovation and builds, including improved air quality and fire safety. Durisol also helps a home to heat and cool itself much more efficiently.

How Durisol is Made

Durisol is an insulated concrete form manufactured in Ontario from recycled waste wood (100% natural lumber) bonded with Portland cement. These ICF walls are made from 80% recycled materials and are 100% recyclable making them a truly sustainable building resource.

Integral to each Durisol block is a layer of insulation (rockwool, made out of rocks and minerals) inserted on the outer side of the hollow core of the block (so it's really outsulation!). The remainder of the core is filled with concrete. This strategic placement of the rockwool allows it to insulate the concrete mass from outside temperatures.

The Features of Durisol

The R-value is a measure of thermal resistance; the higher the value, the better the insulation. In conventional construction, typical fiberglass insulation sags over time, significantly reducing its ability to withstand heat. Not so with Durisol ICF walls. Your home will maintain an R-value of 21. In fact, it has been demonstrated that a R-14 Durisol wall system performs better than a standard R-30 2x6 framed wall.

Air is an excellent insulator. In the Durisol wall block, air is trapped between the cement encased wood chips. This, combined with the rockwool and with overall wall depth, creates a superior insulating form. The practical result is the considerable reduction in the size and power of any supplementary heating source you install which, in turn, results in reduced costs and helps to reduce dependency on mechanical systems.

Durisol is Energy Compatible

Using these ICF walls allows us to apply a variety of energy systems for optimal efficiency. These could include:

Passive solar (designed to use the sun's heat in the winter, and reject the sun's heat in the summer, all without any mechanical or electrical devices)
Ground source (also known as a geothermal heat pump, this is a central heating and/or cooling system that pumps heat from the ground in the winter, and to the ground in the summer)
Electric (carefully located and planned)
Masonry oven (allows you to burn fuel periodically and use the heat over a long period of time)
Gas
Durisol Saves You Money

Passive solar systems are particularly effective and affordable in our smart homes. The thick walls soak up the heat from the sun during the day and slowly release it during the night natural, seamless, and cost-free.

During the winter months, the ICF walls capture the heat from the sun and any other heat source (e.g., ground source, wood stove) and release it gradually into your home as the air cools. During the summer, the concrete absorbs the heat from the house and cools the internal air.

By choosing Durisol walls in combination with an eco-friendly energy system, you get a smart home that partially or completely heats and cools itself.

About the Author:
Lesley Laurence works in the marketing department of EcoInhabit. Lesley has been responsible for content creation, social media and online marketing since for EcoInhabit since 2006. EcoInhabit promotes green living by selling green building materials, eco books



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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