About EZ-Build SIPs, Structured Insulated Panels:
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are the building material of the future. Our SIPS have been featured on Bob Vila's Energy Wise House and The Home Improvement Show. Norm Abrams of This Old House said, "I don't think there's any reason to use anything but SIPs." Further, they've been endorsed by Susan Susanka of The Not So Big House and they are the only building material approved by the American Lung Association.

SIP homes have proven their strength and durability in tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes, in many cases being the only homes left standing after major disasters such as Hurricane Andrew and the 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan. And their ability to insulate your house is unmatched. Whether you are trying to keep heat in or cool in, it is like living inside of a thermos or cooler. EZ-Build SIPs are fire resistant, bug resistant, water resistant, wind resistant, shock resistant, noise resistant and warranted for 20 years against deterioration of any kind.

This is not a new building material. It is simply the BEST building material.

What sets our SIP Homes opportunity apart from other SIPs builders and suppliers is:

• We are directly connected with the best manufacturer
• We are able to build for less. Al Cleary, has been the number one SIP franchiser of SIPS and has supplied SIPS around the world for ten years; our manufacturer, produces the best SIPS, this is why they have been featured on nationally televised shows such as Bob Vilas broadcast; reference national televise videos further below.

CHC SIP Homes Video Library:
The Energy Wise House, Broadcasts by Bob Vila
The links below will download quickly because they are short. A comment about the videos; R-Control uses the same manufacturer that Al does, AFP. However, our builder is, Al Cleary and Al , is the #1 seller of SIPS. The R-Control fellow in the videos is simply one of AFP's representatives.

There are other SIP manufacturers; but Al Cleary and EZ-Build have an exclusive on Perform Guard, plus typically CHC sells for less. Simply click on the purple links below to be taken to the Energy Wise House Broadcast by Bob Vila videos.

1. Benefits - The Manufacturing and Building Process and Benefits of SIPS, Structural Insulated Panels.

2. Beating the Heat - Energy Wise House starting with SIPs and the The Building Envelope

3. Perm Guard - Perm Guard Termite Control Insulation and Sustainability, also built into the foundation

Our Al Cleary SIP Homes are all over the globe and probably already in your neighborhood. They look just like any other well built home from the outside looking in. The difference is they are quieter, more air-tight. They are more shock absorbent and they insulate better. Picture the difference in sound and the comfort of the ride between a high-end luxury car and an economy model. The difference is what you hear, feel and smell on the inside. It feels newer and cleaner. When you walk into a SIP home you can literally feel the quality. The videos provide an actual demonstration of this.

SIP Homes are built faster, so you won't have to make as many construction site visits as with other homes. Fortunately, SIPs produced by our manufacturer are So Good that they have been singled out and are those featured on nationally syndicated television.

Al Cleary has been building for 30 years nationwide and in many countries.

ABOUT SIPS
There are many other SIPs suppliers. Structural Insulating Panels (SIPs) provide an energy efficient and structurally stronger alternative for quality building. Building with SIPs makes for a stronger yet less expensive home. Any initial costs of building with SIPs is quickly made up for with energy savings. SIPs can be used in walls, floors, ceilings and roofs. SIPs were invented by Frank Lloyd Wright. They were first used in building in 1935 by the US Forestry Service. Typically they use a low density foam core sandwiched between fiber oriented strand board sheathing braced by an interior steel ridge beam for walls. Roofs typically use aluminum sheathing. Buildings built with SIPs stand up better in hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and even earthquakes. With so much weather damage in the news lately, clearly SIPs is the building material of the future. For more information on our SIPs, please contact us or visit: http://www.sips.org .

Al Cleary has a direct partnership with the best manufacturer in the business, which makes it very difficult for other SIP builders to compete on price. Al is their number one seller and is positioned to save both builders and end-buyers more money on SIPs by being the world's premier supplier. High volume drives prices down. But also, our SIPS through Al, are an even higher quality SIP than the industry standard. They use the patented Per Guard pretreatment process and I-joint flooring. More information is available on their web site. It is important that you don't make the mistake of purchasing SIPs from any other builders; get the BEST!

A DOMINANT SIPS SUPPLIER
CHC saves builders as much as 50-60% off the cost of SIPs. CHC founder, Al Cleary, has been the world's premier supplier of SIPS for 10 years, offering higher quality at lower prices. His goal is to further reduce the cost of manufacturing SIPS through SIPs awareness and increased production volume..

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
We understand that you probably have question regarding the information we have provided relative to Al Cleary and the EZ-Build SIPS we represent. So we have compiled here a list of frequently asked questions and answers. If you have other questions, then call us or visit our Contact Us page and ask us your question; we will provide you with an answer.

Questions and Answers:
Q1. What if I want to build a commercial building or a church?
A1. There is nothing that can't be built with SIPs. Commercial structures will enjoy the energy efficiency as well as the solidity of the wall panel materials for greater strength, durability and lower maintenance. Fire and storm damage are dramatically reduced. Bugs won't have crawl space. And termites have no interest in the treated EPS foam our preferred builders use.

Q2. What does this cost? Are SIPs expensive?
A2. SIP homes cost slightly more than 2x4 wood frame homes, but our preferred builder is in partnership with a manufacturer and their unique SIPs cost less than what other SIP manufacturers charge, making material cost competitive with 2x6 construction, beating the price in almost every case. Generally, cost to build with concrete is 150-200% more. Additionally, you will enjoy a shorter building time and that may save money too. You will also recover any extra costs with energy savings within ten years. Of course, market costs for homes vary from location to location. The cost of building materials has increased significantly in recent years, especially for concrete. But our builder's SIPs are available for less as our preferred builder is actually a worldwide supplier. Significant savings result when all materials are made ready at the factory because this reduces cutting and drilling time at the site and eliminates all excess product purchases and waste. It also assures that the job is done right the first time. The remainder of the costs of a home depends on your local contractors. If they are well known for saving their customers money, their reputation will probably continue just as it was. The only real question is whether you want to build with quality SIPs. Particularly with high winds as a factor, we recommend you build with SIPs. To build without them would be irresponsible. And the unique SIPs provided by our preferred builder exceed the standards of other SIP suppliers and cost less at the same time.

Q3. What are SIPs made out of?
A3. SIPs are high-performance building panels for floors, walls and roofs in residential and commercial buildings. Each panel is typically made using expanded polystyrene (EPS), which is a rigid foam insulation sandwiched between two structural skins of oriented strand board (OSB), but other surfaces are also available to meet your needs. The OSB skins act like the flanges of an I-beam, glued to the rigid core. EPS creates an inherent efficiency because of lack of air movement. It will not sag or bunch with time like other lay-in or blow-in types of insulation materials. Less air movement or leakage translates into less drafts and cold/hot spots. Fewer penetrations for noise and dust, and above all, lower energy bills in a more comfortable and controllable indoor environment. The SIPs made by our builder's manufacturing partner are superior to SIPs made by other manufacturers and cost less. They are pretreated for insect resistance at the factory and utilize an exclusive I Joist system for flooring for a quiet, creak-free home. Street noises as well as air and moisture penetration are greatly reduced.

Q4. What is an "R" Value?
A4. A material's R-value is the measure of its resistance to heat flow. The higher the number, the better the resistance. The R-Value rating of a specific material or wall assembly is not the same as the measure of thermal efficiency of a home (insulation). R-Value only measures resistance to heat loss by conduction. Other forms of heat loss are convection, radiation and especially infiltration (leakage). Conventional framing with batt insulation promotes convection, radiant and infiltration heat loss that SIPs will not suffer either. But it is also important to know R-Value because many states regulate use of construction materials based on this value. ASTM standards (eg C – 578) also use it as a measure. R-Value increases with thickness and can demonstrate greater resistance at lower temperatures. Independent studies of R-Values of EPS core SIPs vary from 15.34 at values at 75° F for a 3 5/8th inch board to 55.21 at 25° F for a 12 3/8th inch board. Standard core tests are for 7 3/8th inch board, which includes 2 sheets of 7/16" OSB at .69 per side, and demonstrate R-Values from 29.77 at 75° F to 33.46 at 25° F. To say that SIPs perform at R25+ value is a considerable underestimate.

Q5. Some hurricane gusts in Category 5 storms are above 200 mph. Will it hold up?
A5. The figure 160+ mph is a minimum based on independent studies. In some areas it is recommended that your builder reinforce your panels. This may require some added expense. For example, our builder always builds to 185+ mph in the state of Florida and 215+ mph in North Carolina and no matter where you live you can always pay a little extra for this reinforcement. So be sure to ask for it if you are concerned. Category 5 storms are known to destroy literally everything in their path. If you want your home to hold up under those conditions then you will have to take extraordinary measures even with SIPs using the reinforcement measures our builder offers. Some of these measures may cost a little more on your project but could save lives.

Q6. What about earthquakes?
A6. SIPs are known to be seismically superior to other common building materials, such as wood and cement. Let's face it. A bad earthquake can and will destroy just about anything. But SIPs are demonstrated to hold up better under various levels of seismological activity and there is even documentation of six homes which used R-Control components that withstood the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Kobe, Japan in January 1995. These homes were located just miles from the quake's epicenter and stood solidly against the tremendous force of the earthquake.

Q7. Are SIPs fireproof?
A7. No. However, they are more resistant to fire than most cement or wood structures because they have no room for air, which provides the oxygen that feeds a fire. Manufacturers across North America have proven the fire performance of SIP systems through some of the most extensive fire assembly testing in the construction Industry. The results of this destructive testing allow documentation of SIP performance under rigorous test standards. National standards like ASTM - E119, ASTM - E84 and UBC 17 - 5 have been met by protecting SIPs in a similar fashion as other wood based structures. 'One Hour' fire resistive assemblies are achieved by combinations of underlying structure and protection of that structure by Gypsum Wall Board

Q8. Are SIPs bug proof?
A8. SIPs are no more susceptible to insect infestation than other forms of construction. However, our builder has identified and thoroughly researched a natural mineral product that is effective for termite resistance. The mineral is non-toxic and safe for humans. The EPS is treated at the plant embodying this natural mineral within the R-Control Structural Insulated Panel for optimum termite resistance. The process is so unique and beneficial it has been awarded several patents; Perform Guard..

Q9. Do SIPs last?
A9. Being built of expanded polystyrene (EPS) rigid foam insulation, the SIP inner core contains no decomposable components. It is normally sandwiched between sheets of oriented strand board (OSB) that contain sealed wood strand. for a durable outer protective coating. Containing no digestible material that is attractive to insects and no air space for them to crawl or reside they outperform both wood frame and concrete structures. Our builder's SIP homes come with a 20 year warranty.

Q10. Are SIPs safe?
A10. The inner expanded polystyrene core is no more harmful than a plastic statue sitting on your shelf. As a rigid inert object it releases no emissions. Critics have suggested the outer OSB contains formaldehyde. But the amount of formaldehyde emitted by the oriented strand board (OSB) used in SIPs is less than 0.1 PPM (parts per million). This is well below levels established as acceptable by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD). In fact, the HUD Standard now in effect exempts OSB that is produced with these phenolic type adhesives. Large chamber testing demonstrated that emissions of formaldehyde from OSB, is less than would be encountered in the normal atmospheric levels of an urban environment. Testing done by APA - The Engineered Wood Association, has been extensive and conclusive. With their permission, a report that provides more detail on this subject has been reprinted and is available from the APA or SIPA offices. The rigid foam cores and the structural water base adhesives used in the panel manufacturing process have no formaldehyde content and are inert plastics prior to leaving SIP manufacturing facilities.

Q11. How do I get financing?
A11. If you need financing, we can help you. Every person has a unique financial picture that determines how much they can afford, how much money they might have to put down as a deposit and what income level they might have to achieve in order to purchase the home they are dreaming of. Our Solutions Managers work with many lenders, each specializes in certain areas. They will match your unique financial situation, your credit rating, history, existing debt, income, current assets and the home you want to buy or build, with the lender that is just right for you. This helps keep you from being declined. If after an initial interview, one of our certified Solutions Managers determines that you will probably not qualify for the home you want, they will tell you without even checking your credit. That way there will be absolutely no damage on your credit report from an inquiry or a decline. We can save you both time and money, because you won't waste time pursuing loans you are not likely to qualify for because you are approaching the wrong lender. Plus, we will guarantee you the lowest rates and terms. It all begins with an initial interview so just call. Our contact information is at the bottom of this page

Q12. Who invented SIPs?
A12. SIPs were actually invented by Frank Lloyd Wright. The first SIP homes were built by the United States Forestry Service in 1935. They have provided a great alternative method of building since that time and have improved with technological advancement. Since bad weather has become an issue recently and the cost of concrete has been rising, the demand has been rising very dramatically. It should be noted that concrete is porous and although it can withstand bad weather, it is not an ideal building material for insulation or protection against insect infestation. SIPs are clearly the best material to build with.

Q12. Are there any homes built with SIPs I can see?
A12. Yes. However, you will only be able to visit SIP construction sites during allowable visiting hours. If the homes are complete, then there will be nothing to observe. You can't tell a SIP floor, wall or roof once it's been stuccoed or painted over. So aside from the issue of privacy, occupied homes would do you no good to visit. Our builder will list available site visiting opportunities for you as they arise and posts current projects on their site.

Q13. How long has your builder been in business?
A13. Our preferred builder has been in the construction industry for 30 years and supplying SIPs to builders around the world as a manufacturer partner for over 10 years.