Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Does a Freedom Steel home come complete as shown in the pictures?
A. Freedom Steel provides a complete light gauge steel framing system that includes the wall panels, roof trusses, floor trusses (where applicable), clips, framing angles, and fasteners necessary to erect the light gauge steel frame for the model you select. The picture shown in the brochure is an architect’s rendering of what the house could look like using certain types of finish materials that are left up to the customers choosing.

Q. Can I erect the frame myself?
A. Certainly you may erect the frame yourself. Many customers choose to do just that. However, many customers also choose to hire an experienced general contractor or framer to provide this service as well. The choice is up to you.

Q. Does it come with assembly instructions?
A: Yes. Your purchase of any Freedom Steel home comes complete with the Architectural and Structural plans detailing wall panel locations, truss layouts, and connection details necessary to complete the erection of your light gauge steel frame.

Q. Do you provide the foundation plan for Freedom Steel homes?
A: Due to varying local soil conditions and area building practices you will need to have a Professional Engineer familiar with your area design the foundation. Freedom Steel provides a building footprint found within the architectural plans that your Engineer may reference.

Q. Will a Freedom Steel home pass my local building codes?
A. Freedom Steel has designed and engineered the Freedom Steel lines to meet most local building code requirements around the United States. See the “Where Can I Build” link on each model page for a map of geographic design restrictions that will get you on your way to determining whether the Freedom Steel model you have selected is designed to meet your areas requirements. Always check with your local building officials for the exact codes and restrictions in your area.

Q. Will any of the Freedom Steel homes require me to purchase custom windows or doors to fit the framed openings?
A. The Freedom Steel line of homes and buildings are designed with rough opening sizes allowing for industry standard size doors and windows. There is no need to source custom sized windows or doors to fit the factory framed in openings for your light gauge steel frame.

Q. Will I be able to remodel a Freedom Steel home?
A. Yes. You will be able to remodel your steel framed structure in the same manner that you would a wood framed structure. You will merely need to keep in mind the locations of load bearing conditions in your structure so that you do not remove vital structural components of your frame during the remodeling process.

Q. Is a steel framed structure more dangerous in lightning?
A. No. The steel frame actually offers better protection than any other construction system because it provides the path of least resistance straight to the ground, reducing the likelihood of explosions, secondary fires, or personal injury.

Q. Will the steel in my frame rust?
A. Inside the walls and roof of a home or structure where the steel is not constantly wet your steel frame will be very resistant to rust and corrosion. The reason is that zinc, through its sacrificial galvanic action, can “heal” cuts, scratches, and abrasions in the steel. The Steel Framing Alliance (www.steelframing.org) has done a study that can be viewed on the internet. The results of this study show that industry standard galvanization has life expectancy as high as 1260 years and that the fastest coating corrosion rate observed equated to a life expectancy in excess of 200 years.

Q. Is my steel framed structure energy efficient?
A. Yes. With the proper insulation techniques, steel framing can be designed to meet or exceed governmental energy efficiency standards. And because it does not expand or contract with humidity change, there are no air leaks that can result in a costly loss of energy.

Q: Can you use Romex electrical wire in steel framed structures?
A: Yes. You can use Romex as long as you use grommets in the pre-punched holes or field cut holes (Greenlee punch). You will also need to use all plastic electrical boxes. There is documentation in the building code approving this application.

Q: If built with steel will my structure look any different than the others in the development?
A. Structures built with steel will not look any different on the outside than others.

Q: Can my structures be built to resist hurricanes?
A. Steel framed structures can be designed and built to withstand winds of 150 mph or more in any part of the country.

Q: Is steel termite proof?
A. Yes it is. The IRC has been changed to recognize cold-formed steel framing as a primary form of termite protection. For structures being erected in areas where the building code is governed by the IRC it is highly probable that you will be able to produce the structure without treating for termites if you are using light gauge cold-formed steel for all of the structural elements in the structure. You can get a copy of this code change by going to section R-320.1 of the IRC075 Supplement add form August of 2007.

Q. Can I get insurance discounts for my steel framed house?
A. A steel framed home built to the “Fortified Home” standard is eligible for homeowner’s insurance discounts that are offered by some insurers. Otherwise it is possible to obtain discounts but is up to the homeowner to go back to their insurance company for any discounts that may be available.

Q. Will the steel frame interfere with portable radios, phones, or TV reception?
A. No. Waves pass through the space between studs, allowing the use of all appliances without interference.

Q. Can mold grow on steel framing?
A. No. Mold requires 3 things in order to grow.
1. The mold spores, which exist everywhere there is air; every breath we take, unless we are in a medical clean room, contains thousands of mold spores. 2. Moisture. 3. Organic material, which provides the food for the mold. Steel does not contain any organic material, and therefore cannot support mold growth. However, if someone or something has left a residue of organic material on the steel framing, there is a chance that given the right conditions, mold could grow. As with any framing material, the best practice is to keep it dry. Even steel framing gets wet during construction, or if there is a one-time event such as a pipe bursting in a wall, there should be no long-term problem if the cavity is dried out properly. It is persistent wetting, such as a steady plumbing roof leak, which causes the greatest risk of supporting mold. Even then, the mold will most likely grow on organic surfaces, such as the paper facing of the gypsum board or wood framing members, rather than steel. In steel framing, when everything is clean and dry, there will be no opportunity for the mold to grow.

Q. How do I hang a picture in a steel framed structure?
A. You can hang a picture in a steel framed structure just like you would in a wood framed structure. You can use a nail and picture hanger from the drywall, depending upon the weight of the picture. Heavier objects can be hung from self tapping or sharp point screws (available at any hardware store) that attach directly into the studs, which can be easily located with a magnet.

Q. Will steel framing affect the indoor air quality of my home? A. The Healthy House Institute recommends steel framing for chemically sensitive and environmentally conscious homeowners who are seeking the best possible indoor air quality.