Compared to a typical wood frame wall, only about one-quarter to one-eighth as much sound penetrates through an ICF wall. Scientists would describe loud speech on the opposite side of a frame wall as "audible, but not intelligible." On the opposite side of an ICF wall, a listener would "strain to hear" loud speech. It would be virtually "inaudible."
ICF homeowners appreciate these benefits more than they ever imagined.
In a 1997 survey, interviewers asked owners of 74 new ICF houses and 73 new frame houses what they liked about them. Over 80 percent of the ICF owners mentioned the great comfort, compared with 22 percent of the frame owners. Typical comments were:
"It’s the most comfortable house I’ve ever lived in." "I didn’t know what I was missing until we were in it for a while.”
Over 60 percent of ICF homeowners mentioned the quietness of their houses, versus only 2 percent of the frame homeowners. The ICF owners told two common stories over and over again:
"I looked out the window and saw the traffic on the road, but I couldn’t hear it." "While talking with my neighbor one morning, he asked if the thunderstorm the night before woke me up, too. But until that moment I never even realized we’d had one."
When planning a new house, consider the greater well-being that could come from living with a more even temperature, sharply reduced drafts, and noticeably greater quiet. These things are available with concrete homes built with ICFs. They effectively shelter the interior environment from the harshness of the outdoors. ICFs will provide a quiet, comfortable home year round.
To see photos of concrete homes click here