There’s a crisis in the home construction industry, and it’s a combination of many different factors, from affordability to sustainability to a growing labor shortage. These urgencies have been compounded to make driving efficiency and innovation more critical than ever.
Fortunately, there’s a solution that’s proven, respected and the ‘not-so-secret’ solution to contractors across North America. It’s Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction, and it has become a sustainable, durable and affordable cornerstone of modern home construction.
But like all other concrete applications, the success of ICF depends significantly on the reinforcement material used within the concrete. Unfortunately, concrete reinforcement installation has been the bain of every laborer’s existence, that is until Helix Micro Rebar emerged.
It’s a groundbreaking one-inch, twisted, all-steel reinforcement mixed with concrete prior to placement to create a singular durable material. Here’s why Helix Micro Rebar is such a game-changer for ICF while resulting in more sustainable homes.
Rebar installation is an incredibly labor-intensive process involving tying and placing the bars before pouring the concrete. This can be particularly cumbersome in the confined spaces of ICF construction.
Helix Micro Rebar reduces this issue by being mixed directly into the concrete, significantly reducing labor time and costs. And let’s be honest – rebar installation is the least fun aspect of ICF construction.
Contractors can now complete projects faster while also improving concrete’s durability and allowing installation crews to move on to the next phase of the project sooner.
Helix Micro Rebar helped popular YouTube Handeeman replace all the horizontal and corner rebar for an ICF home. And the results were shocking!
Traditional rebar installation requires lugging long lengths of rusty metal, careful placement and many hours of work.
Helix Micro Rebar simplifies this process by mixing directly into the concrete mix, eliminating the need for manual tying and positioning. This not only reduces the workload for crews but also decreases errors. For contractors, this means a smoother workflow and simpler job site logistics.
Listen to what other ICF professionals are saying about Helix Micro Rebar with a listen to the recent “Build With ICF” podcast, joined by Helix Steel’s very own Erica Marr.
Storing, handling, cutting and installing traditional rebar is ripe for safety risks, including cuts, strains and other injuries from working with heavy and long steel materials in awkward positions.
Helix Micro Rebar is mixed directly into the concrete at your batch plant, allowing your crews to work more efficiently and safely, keeping your job site safer while removing a major safety issue.
ICF construction can involve unique layouts, which can make traditional rebar placement challenging.
Since Helix Micro Rebar is uniformly integrated into the concrete mix, it can adapt to any angle/design/size, no matter the complexity. This means that you will receive the same amount of strength, safety, sustainability and support without requiring custom configurations.
Crews love building with large Lego blocks but not so much installing rebar. By eliminating the bending, cutting and tying of rebar, Helix Micro Rebar reduces the physical strain on installation crews.
Contractors can then also use their resources more effectively, focusing their construction crew on other aspects of the build instead of labor-intensive rebar tasks. Additionally, the reduced workload on physically demanding tasks can contribute to higher job satisfaction and retention.
Learn more about the ‘how-to’ of Helix Micro Rebar for ICF here.
All of these benefits are great on their own, but there’s yet another powerful reason to choose Helix Micro Rebar. It reduces your overall steel use, minimizes waste, and, thus reduces the carbon footprint of the entire home.
And as you may know, if you’re already an ICF convert, ICF is a far more efficient way to build, lowering household heating and cooling costs by a large margin for the entire lifespan of the building. Let’s make a difference for our environment together!
For contractors and installation crews, Helix Micro Rebar offers a totally new and jobsite-alterign way to complete ICF construction. By saving time, simplifying installation, increasing sustainability and improving safety, it allows projects to be completed better in every way.
For your next ICF project, trust the ICF experts and use Helix Micro Rebar makes the job easier, safer, and more cost-effective—helping you deliver high-quality results every time.
In times of great economic uncertainty, there is no better way to keep your business humming than by trusting America to deliver.
In times of great economic uncertainty, there is no better way to keep your business humming than by trusting America to deliver.
As our built environment continues to increase, so does the demand for increased efficiency in our water management solutions. And that starts with the construction of the precast elements themselves. Using Helix Micro Rebar as your precast concrete reinforcement can provide your precast business and your clients’ water systems with benefits that only the tiniest of reinforcements can provide.
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