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Tools
and Fasteners |
E-Crete AAC can be cut, drilled, nailed,
grooved, routed, shaped, sculpted, carved,
coated, floated, screwed into and milled
with common tools. AAC anchors can be
hammered directly into the block work and
AAC fasteners can be utilized for a wide
variety of commercial and residential decorating
applications.
The following companies specialize
in AAC tools and fasteners.
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Many interior plasters and exterior coatings
or applications are also available. More
common coatings, such as a stucco type
finish, along with interior plaster, aid
in creating an environmentally friendly
structure. The stucco type finish used
on E-Crete is very durable and requires
little maintenance. These finishes can
be integrally colored with mineral pigments,
eliminating the need for frequent painting.
Interior plaster applied to E-Crete AAC
is durable, yet easy to repair. Veneered
plaster can be left unpainted, providing
a pleasing appearance. With E-Crete, drywall
can be furred or screwed directly to the
block.
The following
companies specialize in
AAC coatings and
finishing products.
El Rey Stucco
Ultra Kote
(synthetic/acrylic
finishes)
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| The Advantages
Of E-Crete |
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| Operating cost savings can be realized through reductions
in maintenance, energy bills and insurance. |
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Durability, and its environmental impact, is
an important factor when considering use of a building
material.
A structure that does not need major repairs and renovation every twenty years
or so, can save money, inconvenience, energy and
other resources. This is of tremendous advantage to the building owner, creating
a better investment and value up-front and over the long-term. Autoclaved Aerated
Concrete (AAC) has proven to be a very durable material. There are numerous structures
in many different climates worldwide, many over sixty years old, in excellent
condition. E-Crete AAC will not rot, warp, rust, corrode, or otherwise decompose.
E-Crete provides a very low maintenance building, saving considerable time and
money in upkeep over the life of the building.
Although damage to an E-Crete AAC wall is unlikely, repair is simple using an
AAC repair mortar. The durability of finishes, both exterior and interior, plays
an important role environmentally.
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E-Crete AAC has exceptional
thermal insulating qualities. An E-Crete wall provides
solid insulation, without the thermal bridging (cold
spots) associated with through-wall framing members
or fasteners.
Buildings constructed with E-Crete tend to be cooler in summer and warmer
in winter. As a result, the building's air conditioning or heating use may
be lower and makes the use of additional thermal insulation unnecessary.
Customers reported lower utility bills.
In addition to greatly moderating the interior temperature,
this lag time allows energy consumption to be shifted
to off-peak hours, a benefit to power companies.
In many temperate environments, an 8-inch-thick AAC wall provides more
than the required thermal protection without additional
insulation. Better temperature and humidity control
provides greater comfort for building occupants.
A test was done on a 10" AAC wall. The outside
of the wall was painted black to maximize heat
absorption from the sun. A thermometer was placed
on the exterior and interior surfaces of the wall to measure its temperature
changes over a twenty-four hour period. The exterior surface fluctuated
over 126 degrees farenheight while the interior surface fluctuated only
+2 degrees farenheight.
Download Thermal Table 13
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| E-Crete AAC is non-combustible. A 4-inch thick
non-load-bearing or a 6-inch thick load-bearing
E-Crete wall, provides a U.L.
classified 4-hour fire rating. This far
exceeds the requirements of the Standard Building
Code, and provides a significant level of protection
against loss of life and property. Toxic fumes
generated from traditional materials burning pose
a danger. AAC is an inorganic material that does
not burn. The melting point of AAC is over 2900 ºF,
more than twice the typical temperature in a building
fire of 1200 ºF. The use of E-Crete AAC eliminates
the need for applying costly fireproofing materials. |
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Concerns of mold
growing in our homes and commercial buildings are at
an all time high. Fears of illnesses related to mold
growth have even prompted some people to vacate their
homes. Fungi contaminated residences and buildings
have become legal and insurance nightmares. In fact,
one insurance company's claims rose from 12 in 1999,
to 15,000 in 2001.
Mold spores are everywhere but require certain conditions to multiply-a warm
temperature, sustained moisture, and organic nutrients. The typical nutrient
source for mold is moisture-damaged building materials. E-Crete is a breathable,
concrete product made with clean, inorganic materials and does not offer the
nutrients needed for mold growth.
Tests conducted by an independent laboratory on E-Crete block against the three
fungi most commonly involved in indoor air quality studies showed E-Crete to
be fungal resistant and repressive in allowing mold to multiply.
Certainly there are many remedies and preventative measures that can be taken
to avert the growth of mold in a structure. One of these is the use of E-Crete
building blocks in the construction of both interior and exterior walls.
No structure is mold-proof, but choosing appropriate building materials with
proper ventilation and good maintenance practices can greatly ease the threat
of mold problems in your structure. |
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| A commonly overlooked
environmental problem in construction is noise pollution.
The solid wall construction of a building made of E-Crete
provides exceptional acoustic insulation. Its porous
structure and high surface mass, coupled with its ability
to dampen mechanical vibration energy, greatly reduces
outside environmental noise pollution and the indoor
echo effect (i.e. reflecting sound) in empty rooms,
providing a quieter, more comfortable interior for
the occupants. E-Crete sound wall systems can achieve
STC ratings up to 60.
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| The surface of E-Crete
blocks can be incised to create reveals, signage, and
graphics. Corners of walls can be rasped to create
rounded edges or entases, and arches can be cut with
saws. E-Crete can also be cut to create radius walls.
Adhesive mortar can be used to laminate thin slabs or strips of AAC or manufactured
stone (cultered stone) to an otherwise flat wall to
build up quoins, cornices, and other ornamentation.
Bas-relief treatments can also be carved into the surface
of an E-Crete AAC wall. |
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AAC has performed well
for many years in seismically active and hurricane-prone
regions around the world.
AAC buildings have shown good resistance to earthquake
forces. The non-combustible and fire resistant
characteristics provide further advantage against fires
commonly associated with earthquakes.
Download ICC ESR 1371 |
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AAC
is an inorganic, insect resistant, solid wall construction
material. It is impossible
for insects and rodents to inhabit in them. Without
concern of termites and other insects damaging or inhabiting
the AAC portion of the structure, chemical treatments
can be reduced while maintaining the maximum
protection against damage to the building. |
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Improved
Indoor Air Quality |
| Some of the poorest
quality air we breathe is in our homes and the buildings
we work in. It is estimated that 80 to 90 percent of
an average person's time is spent indoors. E-Crete
AAC is an inorganic material that contains no toxic
substances and does not decompose or off-gas.
Since AAC is both a structural and insulation material,
it allows the elimination of other materials that may
contribute to poor indoor air quality. E-Crete an ideal
material for homes for the chemically sensitive. |
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E-Crete
simplifies construction by minimizing the number of
different building products involved. Operating cost
savings for the building owner prove to be substantial,
with life cycle break-even within a relatively short
period. The E-Crete building owner may see a significant
reduction of maintenance and energy (heating and cooling)
costs as well as an increase in overall comfort and
safety.
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| Workability |
| E-Crete blocks are quickly
and accurately cut with a band saw or hand saw to the
desired dimension including accurate angles and other
shapes. E-Crete AAC can also be drilled, nailed, grooved,
routed, shaped, sculpted, carved, coated, floated, screwed
into and milled with common tools and finished with paint,
tile, drywall, plaster, or veneer. Window trim, chases
for plumbing, wiring and outlets, and decorative features
like keystones, window sills and columns can easily be
created on the job site. |
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