If you're building a new home, you may consider the location of the property, the openness of the floor plan, or the amount of storage your new home will offer. Another vital element of your new home you should consider is its bones, or structure.
A quick glance at new constructions in up-and-coming neighborhoods may reveal that more and more homeowners are opting for a steel structure. If you want to build a home that will last the test of time, here are five reasons to opt for steel.
The world's strongest and most noteworthy buildings use steel in their construction because it is virtually indestructible. Protective coatings of aluminum alloy or zinc defend steel against corrosion. These coatings are tough and are of uniform thickness throughout, allowing it to last longer and require less frequent maintenance.
Steel is also impervious to damage that would warp or degrade other materials, such as termites. Termites are rampant here in Ohio. Every year, their colonies consume enough wood to cost Americans $5 billion dollars worth of damage and repairs. In some rare cases, whole homes have to be rebuilt because the severity of damage affects the building's structural soundness.
Steel doesn’t attract termites, so it is a particularly good investment for home construction.
Because steel is the most recycled material in the world, it is also economical. While comparing costs of steel versus wood, remember that wood will need to be maintained and replaced long before a similar steel structure will. Over time, wood frames can shrink, buckle, or sag.
Therefore, even if steel costs more initially, lower maintenance costs and greater longevity means the steel structure will cost you fewer dollars over its lifespan. Additionally, you may experience fewer insurance costs as your home will be better equipped to withstand fires, floods, and natural disasters.
Steel makes a home very resistant to fire, whereas wood frames are easily destroyed in the event of a house fire. Additionally, billowing smoke from burning wood is an even bigger factor. Since the leading cause of fire fatalities is actually asphyxiation from breathing in toxic smoke, steel is a much safer option for your home.
Prefabricated steel is also mold resistant. Often when a house is struck by a flood, mold and mildew in the wood can make the home unlivable. Mold thrives in a dank environment and feeds on wood's organic matter. Because steel doesn’t mold, it can reduce the damage from mold and mildew.
Steel is also a better choice for those suffering from allergies or asthma. Unlike wood, steel doesn't rot and dries much faster, so it doesn’t college germs or mold spores like wood. Steel can also better withstand winds from earthquakes and tornadoes.
Steel can be fabricated in any shape to fit any specific dimension, so steel makes innovative design and layout a possibility. You can create soaring ceilings and vast open layouts that don't require load-bearing walls or heavy columns. You also can create curved walls, windows, or ceilings. The only limit to a steel's versatility is a designer's imagination.
Steel is a nicer option for the environment compared to wood. Harvesting wood from trees requires chemical treatments and cutting down trees. Additionally, since trees are organic material, they rot a lot sooner, requiring a cyclical process of harvesting more trees.
Unlike trees, steel boasts a much longer lifespan. When a steel structure is at the end of its lifespan, it is simply recycled into another structure without losing its effectiveness.
At Knowlton Industrial Steel Supply, we have over 30 years of experience in providing high-quality steel fabrication services.
Contact us today and let our team of proficient fabricators and welders provide you with the top-quality metal work you need for your home or project.