Structural Insulated Panels and Sips Video

Summary: Structural Insulated Panels or Sips are Energy efficient, easy to assemble, strong, airtight, sound proof, wind and wind hear resistant and are also seismic code compliant. Sips also make home construction easier and faster.

Years ago I had a call from an owner builder who had built his new home using Structural Insulated Panels, or Sips. "Carl, I can heat my home with a match" he said.

We had financed the construction of his house and I remember inspecting the home for a construction loan draw just after it was dried in, that is, the walls, roof, windows and doors were all completed.

At the tome, I couldn't believe that this owner builder had gotten his new home this far along in such a short time.

It seemed like we had just closed on his construction loan.

What I remember most however, was the absolute silence when I walked in and closed the front door behind me.

I had never experienced such a thing, certainly not in a house.

I was really impressed at the sound proofing Structural Insulated Panels gave this house.

So, when he called me with his humorous remark about how easy it is to heat a Sips home, I new he wasn't really exaggerating that much.

After all, if sound can’t get in, heat can’t get out, because the house is airtight.

What also impressed me on that inspection was the structural integrity of the panels.

With sips construction you get structural integrity plus, exterior sheathing, wall insulation and framing, all in a solid one piece construction component.

This homeowner had even built his home with a sips roof!

Some manufactures of Structural Insulated Panels can even pre cut their structural panels according to your blueprints, making for an even faster assembly of the new house.

For more technical information on Sips, read the following treatise from NAHB Research, called Structural Insulated Panels.

And, as an added treat, here’s a video from the MI bureau of codes on Sips.

Enjoy, Carl Heldmann