The Croquis House Plans presents his collection of house plans featuring CBS Construction type. thecroquis-houseplans CBS construction which is Concrete Block Stucco terminology. Benefits of a CBS Construction Homes: 1) Resale value: Not a single client has ever asked to be shown wood homes nor have we ever had a client build a wood frame home. Real estate is an investment that hopefully appreciates in value, a wood frame home is much less likely to appreciate. 2) Windstorm: While wood has its benefits in high winds, its flexible while concrete isnt. The most inherent danger to people and property during the high winds of tornadoes and hurricanes is the debris carried in the high winds. Flying at such intense velocity, wreckage can cut right through a building wall and endanger the people inside. According to the Portland Cement Association, tests conducted by Texas Tech Universitys Wind Engineering Research Center offer dramatic proof that concrete walls withstand flying debris from tornadoes and hurricanes and outperform their wood and steel counterparts. 3) Resource Conservation: Forty one trees are used for every average wood frame home - 23 for the floors and walls, 13 for the roof, and five for the interior. Concrete is manufactured locally from abundant natural resources. It is inert and non-toxic. Concrete contains recycled materials and is, itself, recyclable. 4) Durability: Concrete homes are much more durable, far more demands are made on concrete than most any other construction material. Bridges, skyscrapers, and dams are frequently constructed with concrete. In addition the walls do not rot, or are as susceptible to damage from insects, termites and rodents. 5) Fire Protection: Insurance companies recognize concrete as being safer than any other form of construction when fire threatens a home. Insurance for concrete homes is often 15% to 25% lower. 6) Noise Reduction: Besides being stronger and more durable, the mass of a concrete wall provides an added benefit - a reduction in noise entering the home. Although some sound will penetrate the windows, a concrete home is often two thirds quieter than a wood frame home. 7) Safe Rooms: Safe rooms are becoming a more popular option in South Florida. The best way to keep your family safe during a tornado or hurricane is to build a concrete safe room inside your home. A safe room is a small, windowless room that is completely encapsulated in concrete - walls, ceiling and floor. Typically, the room would be located in a central area of the home for additional protection as well as accessibility, but can be placed on the outside wall of the home. A safe room can be incorporated into the construction of a new home, or can be retrofitted into an existing home. In addition the safe room can function year round as a usable area, such as a bathroom, closet or utility room. Youll never see a safe room built of wood. 8) Curb Appeal: A concrete home is well suited to Floridas tropical climate, the vast majority of wood homes simply look out of place in most of South Florida. Additionally, some interesting effects, such as curved walls and frequent corners, can be less expensive to build into a concrete home. 9) Reduced Energy Bills: Concrete homes save energy in two ways. The mass of the concrete slows down the passage of heat or cold moving through the wall. With the same insulation, a concrete home stays warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Also, concrete walls are more air-tight than wood frame walls. Since leaks account for a large percentage of energy loss in the home, concrete homes enjoy savings in energy consumption. Concrete Homes Withstand StormsWind testing shows how concrete walls hold up in a hurricane When hurricanes howl, the greatest danger to people and property is flying debris. Carried at such intense velocity, a 2 x 4 piece of lumber will become a missile that can slice through walls. Researchers for the Wind Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University say that concrete walls are strong enough to withstand flying debris from hurricanes and tornadoes. According to their findings, homes made of concrete are much more storm-resistant than houses constructed of wood and steel. THE RESEARCH STUDY To duplicate hurricane-like conditions in the laboratory, researchers shot wall sections with 15-pound 2 x 4 lumber missiles at up to 100 mph, simulating debris carried in a 250 mph wind. These conditions cover all but the most severe tornadoes. Hurricane wind speeds are less than the speeds modeled here. Missile tests designed to demonstrate damage from hurricanes use a 9-pound missile traveling about 34 mph. Researchers tested 4 x 4-foot sections of concrete block, several types of insulating concrete forms, steel studs, and wood studs to rate performance in high winds. The sections were finished as they would be in a completed home: drywall, fiberglass insulation, plywood sheathing, and exterior finishes of vinyl siding, clay brick, or stucco. All the concrete wall systems survived the tests with no structural damage. Lightweight steel and wood stud walls, however, offered little or no resistance to the missile. The 2 x 4 ripped through them. Reinforced concrete homes have proven their wind-resistance in the field during tornadoes and hurricanes. In Urbana, Illinois, a recently constructed insulating concrete form home withstood a 1996 tornado with minimal damage. In the Liberty City area of Miami, several concrete form homes survived Hurricane Andrew in 1992. In both cases, neighboring homes were destroyed. thecroquis-houseplans
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 01:49:28 +0000
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