The Insul-Kor System

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The Insul-Kor System

The secret to savings in construction time, purchase price, and energy costs is Insul-Kor of California’s unique structural insulated panel system. This panel system comprises an expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam core with high insulation values, pressure bonded to a tough 7/16, 1/2 or 5/8 inch thick Oriented Strand Board (OSB) interior and exterior skin. The resulting "sandwich" is so strong that homes constructed with Insul-Kor structural panels need few, if any, interior load bearing walls, and are so strong that they easily out perform conventional types of construction in high winds and seismic events.

Insul-Kor of California, Inc. custom manufactures each panel system using only ICC approved components, and then ships F.O.B. from factory to the construction site. This preconstruction of structural components permits a high degree of quality control, as assured by an independent third party inspection agency, and greatly reduces fabrication time and costs. Insul-Kor of California, Inc. can also pre frame your interior walls and ship them to the construction site, further reducing assembly time.

Not onlhttp://www.insulkor.com/files/IMG_1930.jpgy is the Insul-Kor structural panel stronger, it is also safer. All materials are free of UREA formaldehyde and chlorofluorocarbons making them safe for you and the environment. Specifications subject to change without notice.

Energy Savings

Compared to the 1" of foam insulation in a typical ice cooler, that will hold ice for 5 days at 90°F, the Insul-Kor wall sections contain 3 5/8" or 5 5/8" of foam. Consider the foam coffee cup; 1/16" of foam insulates 210°F coffee so your fingers are not burned.

Oak Ridge National Laboratories performed an extensive, closely monitored test, in a controlled environment, and concluded that SIPs are 15 times less “leaky” as conventional construction. The testing compared a room built with 4" SIP walls, a SIP ceiling, a window, a door, pre routed wiring chases and electrical outlets, to an otherwise identical room built with 2x6 studs, OSB sheathing, fiberglass insulation, and drywall.

“People look at the insulation R values for a 6" stick wall (R 19) and a 4" SIP wall (R 15), and they think the stick wall is four points better,” says SIPA director Bill Wachtler, “But these tests prove that the stick wall is really 10% worse. Let’s stop making false comparisons between the two systems. It’s time to change the energy rating systems and the energy codes to reflect the true performance of SIPs.” (Frame Building News June 2002, Pg. 12)

The results in energy savings are dramatic! When comparing a 4" SIP built home to a conventional 4"stick built home, your energy consumption can be less than half. These savings will become even more apparent as gas, oil, and electricity costs rise in the years to come.

Fast Construction Pays Dividends

Both the builder and the owner benefit from the efficiencies of the Insul-Kor System. Energy savings not only offer long term advantages to the owner, they also make every Insul-Kor home more attractive at a given price. Because components are dimensioned accurately, construction time is spent erecting, not correcting mistakes. With Insul-Kor’s system, construction site waste and/or theft is virtually eliminated. All of these factors add up to efficiency for the builder, and a greater value for the owner.

Flexibility

Few, if any, factory built home designs offer the flexibility of the Insul-Kor system. Each Insul-Kor home owner has a wide variety of options to tailor the home to his or her individual needs. Structural Panels can be anywhere from 3 12" thick, and use either Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) or XPS foam in 1 2lb densities. Insul-Kor of California has a full drafting department to assist you in taking your dream home from conception to completion. Additionally, engineering services are available by highly skilled, California licensed professionals.

  • Most designs and floor plans can be built on a slab, crawl space, or basement.
  • Interior partitions can be located to accommodate personal tastes and convenience
  • The placement and types of windows and doors is highly flexible.
  • "L" shaped or "U" shaped floor plans can be utilized to make the best use of smaller, less costly lots.
  • A home’s exterior appearance can be anything from a castle to a cabin. Exteriors may be finished in a variety of ways, including: wood veneer, aluminum or vinyl siding, brick veneer, or a combination of sidings approved by the UBC or your local code.
  • Due to Insul-Kor’s energy efficiency you may be able to install a smaller or more efficient heating/cooling unit.
  • To cut costs, some owners may act as their own contractor (owner/builder). The owner may do portions of the work or sub out portions they do not wish to do themselves. Those owners who choose to do some of the work themselves not only gain satisfaction from their effort, but also contribute to the value of the home.

Need Help Drafting Your Dream Home?

Insul-Kor can take your ideas, designs and drawings and turn them into a complete set of panelized prints ready for building and safety. We have a number of custom designs and standard plans for pricing convenience. Additionally if you already have an approved set of plans for a stick built home we can convert that for panelization so you can build with our unique structural panel system. 

We also have complete sets of plans for purchase as well as feasibility plans. Click here to see our learn more about our house plans.