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Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) and STUCCO INSPECTIONS
I now use
Infrared
Thermal Imaging (IR) (See
Infrared Inspections Page) which is quite possibly the most
important technology to be used during Water Intrusion/EIFS
Inspections today! It allows me to detect items that would normally
go undetected through standard visual and moisture meter
inspections.
For Water Intrusion through low pitch or flat
roof designs, Moisture Detection in walls and floors and Building
Envelope Analysis to locate points of moisture entry, Infrared
Technology is an invaluable tool to “see” what can’t be seen during
visual inspections, and in some cases, even during the sophisticated
moisture detection equipment process I use, due to exterior building
substrate packages.
All of this at no additional fee! My
standard rates for my various EIFS Inspection Services remain the
same. This is only an additional tool available to me to continue
to provide superior services.
MOISTURE
INTRUSION ANALYSIS:
This service
provides moisture analysis of any structure with ElFS or Cement
Stucco cladding. The purpose of this inspection is to find excessive
moisture content in the structural cavities and framing. Using
specialized electronic equipment, the location and source of
moisture intrusion is identified and noted in a written and
photographic report.
What is involved in the EIFS test?
The protocols call for the house
to be tested extensively. A non-invasive scanner may be used, but
only to identify areas of excessive moisture and determine which
areas should be probed. This device will not read the exact moisture
content. An invasive probe meter is required to perform this test,
as the recommendations are based on the moisture content. The
scanner will drastically reduce the number of probes needed and will
typically identify more trouble areas than the probe alone. Don't
believe the companies that are too lazy or incompetent to do the job
right and try to scare you by saying that probing causes hundreds
and hundreds of holes. Since I've been using the scanner, the amount
of probes needed has dropped 80-90%. An average house may have 30
holes. After they're filled, you normally can't find them unless I
show them to you.
Very Important : A scanner cannot
be used alone unless no areas of excessive moisture are found. The
wet areas must be probed for rot and ACTUAL MOISTURE CONTENT, then
mapped to meet the test protocol. It should also be noted that
neither instrument will detect damaged areas that are not wet,
although probing does allow you to feel the firmness of the
structure.
What is EIFS?
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) are multi-layered exterior wall systems that are used on both commercial buildings and homes. They provide superior energy efficiency and offer much greater design flexibility than other cladding products.
Developed in Europe in the 1950s, EIFS were introduced in the U.S. over 30 years ago. They were first used on commercial buildings, and later, on homes. Today, EIFS account for nearly 30% of the U.S. commercial exterior wall market. EIFS typically consist of the following components:
- insulation board, made of polystyrene or polyisocyanurate foam, which is secured to the exterior wall surface with a specially formulated adhesive and/or mechanical attachment
- a durable, water-resistant base coat, which is applied on top of the insulation and reinforced with fiber glass mesh for added strength
- an attractive and durable finish coat - typically using acrylic co-polymer technology - which is both colorfast and crack-resistant.
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) has been is use in the USA for over 30 years. The cement stucco system, on the other hand, is thousands of years old. It is definitely no spring chicken!
The cement stucco system is durable. The reason lies in the fact that you are basically covering your house with a layer of rock. The cement stucco consists of sand, a small quantity of lime, Portland cement, and water. It is simply a fine grained concrete that is attached to your house using a waterproof barrier paper, galvanized wire mesh, and metal flashings. Flashings are handy devices that channel water to the exterior of a wall.
Cement stucco has numerous advantages. It can achieve compressive strengths in excess of 3,000 pounds per square inch. Ladders, baseballs, and rocks will rarely dent it. If you have a talented plasterer, you have unlimited surface texture possibilities. Furthermore, if you use time tested installation methods, you can create a weather tight barrier to wind driven rain, snow, and ice. Uncoated cement stucco allows water vapor to freely pass through it. As for its disadvantages, cement stucco is a rigid material. If the wood framing beneath it shrinks or if the house foundation moves, the cement stucco will very likely crack.
EIFS is a synthetic material. It is virtually impervious to water and water vapor. One coat and two coat systems are available. The outer surface layer usually contains long lasting acrylic polymers that are solid colored and extremely flexible. A wide variety of colors and textures are available. EIFS systems are almost always applied over an unbroken layer of expanded polystyrene insulation board. Lower fuel bills are a certainty when used in conjunction with standard fiberglass batt wall insulation.
In some ways EIFS is too good. It has been determined that EIFS stucco can actually act as a barrier. Manufacturers and installers of many of the EIFS systems have abandoned the waterproof barrier paper and flashing practices practiced for years by the cement stucco masons. Water gets behind many EIFS systems and can't get out. Numerous houses across the USA are suffering from serious structural wood rot. Certain EIFS systems severely inhibit the evaporation of trapped water.
An EIFS system is available that makes use of a special water management system. This concept acknowledges that water will get behind synthetic stucco. The water management system collects the water and diverts it back to the exterior of the home before it can cause rot damage. The system incorporates a special barrier paper, old fashioned metal flashings, cement board in place of foam board and a combination of a Portland cement basecoat topped with a textured polymer stucco material.
What are some of the signs that my EIFS is failing or has failed?
There are very few 'signs'. This is why inspection and testing are so important. Some of the signs you may want to look for are bulging EIFS, water stains on the outside or inside of the wall or around the window.
What does the testing and inspection include?
We first do a walk around visual inspection of your home or building to determine if the EIFS has been installed per industry standards. We then perform some non-invasive moisture testing at the surface to determine where the moisture intrusion is occurring. We will then probe the high moisture levels through the finish coat to determine the moisture level of the wood framing and to try and determine the amount of damage to the wood, if any. Our reports will include detailed photos of the affected areas and descriptions of the areas that are in need of repair or further invasive testing.
Do you also do repair work on EIFS?
Unlike many other so called EIFS inspectors in the area, I do not make repairs myself and we are not affiliated with any repair company. These type inspectors can overstate problems with your EIFS so that the repair bill can be inflated.
Fee Structure
If you have, or are purchasing an EIFS or Stucco home I strongly recommend that you have an Moisture Intrusion Inspection.
Fee's vary greatly depending on the size and difficulty of accessing the structure. The complexity of the Architectural Design can add substantially to the fee.
General Fee Calculations:
- $250.00 Base Fee - Single Story - Four (4) elevations only (separate wall surfaces)
- $50.00 for each Additional Floor per elevation (separate wall surfaces)
- $25.00 to $50.00 per each dormer - fee depends on accessibility
- $25.00 to $50.00 per EIFS clad window box - fee depends on accessibility
- $100.00 per crawl space - (a full evaluation of the crawl space is a vital part of an EIFS Inspection)
- Over 24' In Height Special Equipment Fee applies
- Complex Architectural Designs will add to the Base Fee
- The number of windows and doors can significantly affect the fee
NOTE: Roofing Materials:
- Wet Wood Roofing Shingles/Shakes cannot be safely walked on
- Clay or Cement Tile Roofs cannot be walked on without cracking the occasional tile. Home Owner permission/waiver is required.
Most typical homes inspection fee is between $500.00 and $600.00 and can exceed $2000.00 depending on the home. While this may be considered expensive you need to consider the cost of eventual repairs/replacements when you risk not having the inspection. The absolute worst case would be removing the existing EIFS, repairing or replacing deteriorated sheathing and framing members and then to completely re-clad the home's exterior.
Call (253) 209-0878 to schedule your EIFS Inspection!
Tony Parent - Chief Inspector |
