“What is this stuff and where did it come from?”
EIFS is an acronym for Exterior Insulation and Finish System. These systems have replaced conventional stucco systems and siding in some construction projects in the U.S. and consist of a foam insulating layer, a mesh or lathing material, topped with one coat (usually) of a stucco or stucco-like finish. The system was introduced in Europe and eventually made its way to North America sometime in the 1970s. It has been touted as a material/labor saving system that will add a boost to the bottom line of any construction product and passes on energy saving value to the end-user. Unfortunately the adoption of EIFS has proven problematic in the already litigation-prone construction industry in the U.S. – and has resulted not in a boost in profit for builders, but often a significant liability. But why? It seems pretty good in theory…
It is interesting to me that the answer to the EIFS problem comes from the “Old World.” From my perspective, however it is perfectly logical. So much money and effort has been put into “adapting it” that it should have been the first clue that something was wrong with the system.
I remember the first time I saw it used. It was on a medical building in Hemet in the mid eighties. They first covered the entire exterior with OSB shear paneling, which was odd at the time as it was before all the code upgrades after the Northridge Earthquake. They installed their windows with the normal sisalkraft flashing that was the norm at the time. Then the entire exterior was covered with one-inch Styrofoam panels with the stucco netting directly on the foam, with the one coat of stucco applied directly to that. My first question was “Where’s the waterproofing?” My father-in-law, who knew the doctor that was having the structure built (and himself a general contractor for more that thirty years) said “It doesn’t need waterproofing, Styrofoam cups don’t leak!” I remember thinking about that and wondering how panels of foam, with flat edges butted against each other were the same as a Styrofoam cup. My next thought was “What is this stuff and where did it come from.”
That thought resurfaced a few years back when I was testing windows on a 300+ home defect law suit in Visalia, California. The walls were assembled similarly and every wall that we opened up (by taking drywall off the inside) had severe water stains. Then it all came back to me; The Styrofoam cup theory is only that, a theory. That other nagging thought was always in the back of my mind too, “What is this stuff and where did it come from.”
I was sent to the local building supply yard during that time to gather information on the “Theory and Practice of one coat stucco” or EIFS as some (incorrectly) identified it. I asked the man behind the counter what “System” the local plasterers were using to install the foam. He gave me a puzzled look, said that each plaster seemed to have his own way of doing it. Then he said the most profound statement of all that truly demonstrates the understanding of the building industry in that area, at that time; “Who cares what system they are using anyway? The stucco on the surface keeps the water out!” Yeah, I thought to my self; you keep thinking that!
Recently, I was sent a series of articles on the subject (that are included with this blog) that finally answer the burning question; “What is this stuff and where did it come from?” It originated in Europe as a means of insulating the exterior walls of concrete buildings. They don’t believe in “stick built” homes over there, which is probably why when I toured Germany and Austria, their average building seemed to be five hundred years old! It was never intended to keep the water out, only reduce the heat loss. Besides, water intrusion is not as big of an issue with solid concrete walls as it is in wood-framed construction.
So much time, money and effort been wasted on this issue when the first question that should have been answered is the one that is just now becoming apparent:
Is EIFS a practical finish material for wood-framed buildings?
18 March 2007 | Construction, Construction Defect, Consulting, Litigation | Comments
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