Disadvantages Along with above apparent advantages, shipping container housing also has potential pitfalls that should be overcome when building container houses.
First, shipping containers are made of metal (usually aluminum or Corten Steel), which conduct heat very well. That means the temperature inside containers can easily go too low in cold season, and conversely, rise quickly to unbearable levels in the hot season. Therefore, controlling temperature inside your steel container house is a major concern.
Secondly, those ISBUs (Intermodal Steel Building Units) actually are used shipping containers and most of them are old enough for scrapping. So rust may become an annoyance when use the recycled material. Theoretically, ISO containers are covered with weather resistant paints. During transport process, however, the protecting layer can be scratched and damaged somewhere and not sufficiently repaired. Those scratches present potential rusty places for later use in housing purpose.
Thirdly, producers of cargo containers never intended them to be used for long-term living, so they may have used harmful paints and solvents during their manufacturing. Breathing the vapors of those substances is harmful to human health.
Besides, shipping boxes in transit carry many types of goods, including dangerous cargoes, even toxic or radioactive materials. Spillage of those cargoes may leave contaminants that are not easily detected. That will be a risk if you don’t carefully and thoroughly strip and clean used boxes before using them for housing.
Fourthly, in many residential areas, there are rules (e.g. zoning rules) which restrict the types of homes that can be constructed. Steel homes, particularly those created from shipping containers, are not commonly built in these neighborhoods. This can cause problems when applying for a building permit within residential zoning. Thus, you will need to consult with local authorities to make sure your new container home meets all local building codes.
Lastly, there must be enough free space available for handling during construction, because modular containers (with needed necessary modifications of appearance, structure, etc…) need moving and placing in
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