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Steel Framing Becoming More Popular Option in Home Building
    Steel has the highest strength to weight ratio of any building material. More steel is recycled in North America each year than aluminum, plastic and glass combined, with the overall industry's annual recycling rate at about 64%. Steel doesn't rot, warp, split, crack or creep. It doesn't expand or contract with moisture content. It doesn't burn or add fuel to the spread of fire. Termites can't eat it, and it doesn't provide a comfortable home for any other undesirable organisms. And a historical graph of steel prices doesn't look like a seismographic readout from a major earthquake.
    Homes built with steel will look better, perform better, provide a safer environment for its inhabitants and contribute to saving trees. Builders waste less material when building with steel (2% waste for steel vs. 20% for traditional materials).
    Homeowners will enjoy the benefits of a high-strength, safe structure that will require less maintenance and endure a slower aging process. A steel framed home has less probability of foundation problems because less weight results in less movement. A steel framed home has less probability of damage in an earthquake or high winds; a lighter structure with strong mechanical connections will survive better than traditionally built homes.
    Of course, in order for steel framing to be a viable option for builders and homeowners today, it must be economically feasible and easy to use. To that end, the steel industry is committed to creating the products and environment that will enable builders to use steel framing to build better homes at the same speed and cost of using other available materials.
    For more information about steel framing, visit the North American Steel Framing Alliance's Web site at: www.SteelFramingAlliance.com or call their Washington, D.C. headquarters at: (202) 785-2022.