Concrete Iowa City

It would be nearly impossible to imagine life without pavements, dams, walls, foundations, fences, pipes and even barges. All of these things play a significant role in everyday life, but what many people don’t think about is what these things all have in common…they are all made from concrete. Because of its durability and long life-span, it is the most widely used material around the world. Along with being extremely durable, there are a variety of benefits when using concrete in Iowa City.

Unlike other materials used in building, concrete does not burn and it doesn’t emit the toxic fumes that are common to other materials when affected by fire. Concrete will not produce smoke or drip any molten particles. Because of these reasons, in most applications, concrete in Iowa City can be described as being virtually fireproof. Not only is concrete fire resistant, but its airtight construction also helps to prevent smoke from spreading and its helps to maintain the strength of the structure during a fire.

The acoustic performance and sound insulation are extremely important aspects for both homes and commercial buildings. Controlling the noise level is essential, especially for urban homes. With the use of concrete Iowa City homes can significantly lower the risk of outside noise seeping inside. The inherent mass of concrete provides good sound insulation when used in walls and floors.

Thermal mass is simply the ability construction materials have for absorbing, storing and releasing heat. Using heavy weighted building materials, such as concrete in Iowa City provide an extremely high level of thermal mass, which is highly beneficial for the reduction of energy use. There is more to sustainability than reducing your carbon footprint. An important, but often overlooked factor of sustainability is reducing CO2 emissions. Concrete, when used correctly can help to reduce whole life CO2 emissions.

One of the best benefits of concrete Iowa City homes can experience is there are typically no damages that occur to concrete during flooding. Concrete is not damaged by water and it can actually gain strength from the moisture. When concrete is submerged in water only small amounts of the water is absorbed over a long period of time and the concrete does not suffer damage. In areas that are damaged by floods, it is the concrete buildings that are usually salvageable. It is for this reason that concrete is the primary material used in the construction of levees and dams.

Concrete is the primary material used in building homes that participate in a program known as Fortified for Safer Living, which provides construction, designs and other guidelines that help to increase a new homes resilience to a natural disaster. For example, the use of concrete in Iowa City for fortified homes will protect the home against the common threats in the area, such as snow and ice storms, flooding and tornadoes. Concrete is the primary material used in the construction of walls, floors and foundations because of its resistance to damages from natural disasters.

To learn more information about how the use of concrete can help to strengthen your homes foundation or pavement, contact Kelly Concrete Co.