When we talk about safety in Florida, the conversation almost always starts with hurricanes. But there is another threat that doesn’t wait for a “season” or a weather forecast: Fire.
At Florida Green Building Construction, our mission is simple but uncompromising: To build Safe and Healthy Homes.
That mission is why we choose to build with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) and Concrete Block. While other builders continue to frame homes with wood—which is essentially fuel—we build with materials that refuse to burn.
The 2×4 Problem
Most homes in America are built with “stick framing” (wood studs). While wood is traditional, it has a major weakness: it is combustible. Once a fire breaches the drywall in a wood-frame home, the structural studs act as kindling, allowing the fire to spread rapidly through walls and into the attic. In a matter of minutes, the structural integrity of the home can be compromised.
The Florida Green Advantage: The Non-Combustible Shell
We take a different approach. We believe the walls of your home should stop a fire, not feed it.
Here is why our construction methods offer superior fire protection:
1. Concrete Doesn’t Burn
It sounds obvious, but it is the most critical factor. Concrete is non-combustible. It does not ignite, and it does not melt until temperatures reach thousands of degrees—far hotter than a typical house fire. When we build with concrete block or ICF, we are essentially building a fire break around your family.
2. ICF is Self-Extinguishing
A common misconception is that the foam in ICF is like a coffee cup that melts and burns. This is false. The high-density EPS foam used in our ICF walls is treated with flame retardants. It is designed to be self-extinguishing. If you take a flame away from it, it stops burning. It will not contribute fuel to the fire.
3. The 4-Hour Firewall
Standard wood-frame walls often have a fire rating of 15 to 20 minutes before they fail. In contrast, a solid steel-reinforced concrete wall (like those found in our ICF builds) can withstand intense fire exposure for up to 4 hours without structural failure.
Buying Time Saves Lives
In a house fire, time is everything.
- In a wood home: You may have only minutes to wake up and get out before the structure becomes unstable.
- In a Florida Green home: The structural walls contain the fire, preventing it from spreading to other rooms or collapsing the house. This gives your family critical time to escape and gives first responders a chance to save your property.
Caring Enough to Build it Right
Just like our stance on healthy air and storm safety, our choice to build fire-resistant homes comes down to patience and care.
It is faster to build with wood. It is easier to cut corners. But at Florida Green Building Construction, we aren’t interested in “easy.” We are interested in “safe.” We take the time to build with concrete and steel because we want you to sleep soundly, knowing that your home is a true sanctuary against the elements—wind, rain, and fire.
Invest in a home that protects what matters most. Contact us today to learn more about our fire-resistant floor plans.