What happened to EIFS?
The media and the lawyers had a field day as multiple lawsuits were filed against the builders, the applicators, and the manufacturers. Even the CBS news show 60 Minutes had a feature on the issue. The good news was despite the negative attention that EIFS was getting, the problems were confined to residential construction.
When did EIFS become common in the US?
By the mid-1980s, EIFS was commonly found in most mid- to upper-priced residential developments throughout the country. But that would all change by the end of the century.
What is not included in an EIFS?
The technical definition of an EIFS does not include wall framing, sheathing, flashings, caulking, water barriers, windows, doors, and other wall components.
When did the EIFS business run into the perfect storm?
But the business rebounded in 1992 and the EIFS residential business continued to grow—that is until it ran into the perfect storm. But the business rebounded in 1992 and the EIFS residential business continued to grow—that is until it ran into the perfect storm.
Is EIFS stucco still used?
Yet today, EIFS are still around. About 100 million square feet of EIFS went on new and remodeled homes last year, rivaling any other siding material.
Where is EIFS banned?
North Carolina has banned the so-called "barrier" variety of EIFS in new home construction, and Georgia plans to do the same in the fall, according to the NAHB.
How do I know if my house has EIFS?
The easiest way to identify synthetic stucco (EIFS) is by touching the material with your bare hand. When you touch the wall where the stucco is installed, it will feel like plastic. You can also knock gently on the wall. If it sounds hollow and thin, you have EIFS on your home.
When was EIFS stucco used?
In this same year, the first synthetic plaster was developed. In the late 1950s, EPS and synthetic resin materials were first used together. In 1963, EIFS were first marketed in Europe, and in 1969, EIFS were first introduced in the United States. They were first used on commercial buildings, and later, on homes.
Which is better EIFS or stucco?
The fiberglass layer provides more durability, even against hard blows from weather. EIFS is notably lighter than traditional stucco, however. It is 80-percent less heavy than stucco, but it has a higher R-value, coming in between 4 and 5.6, which is notably higher than the 0.20 R-value of regular stucco.
What is the difference between Dryvit and EIFS?
Having a house with EIFS, also known as Dryvit, isn't the end of the world. EIFS isn't a disease; it's synthetic stucco. And even though your house may have been built using it, with knowledge and proper maintenance everything can be just fine. EIFS is an Exterior Insulation and Finish System.
Is synthetic stucco the same as EIFS?
Synthetic stucco is commonly referred to as Exterior Insulating and Finish System (EIFS). Homes with this exterior finish are often strikingly beautiful, offer great flexibility in home design, and provide energy savings.
How can you tell the difference between real stucco and synthetic stucco?
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What does EFIS look like?
The finish coat on a EFIS synthetic stucco system often looks like traditional stucco but is only about 1/16 of an inch thick: the entire EFIS wall system assembly itself will range between 1 to 4 inches thick including, the foam board and the finish coat.
What's wrong with EIFS?
The problems with barrier EIFS cladding all stem from water intrusion. These problems include moisture accumulation in the wall cavity, subsequent wood damage and, in more advanced cases, mold growth and the infestation of pests such as carpenter ants or termites.
How common is EIFS stucco?
Today, the EIFS market segment is less than 5 percent for residential construction.
Is EIFS leaky?
Which Cladding Systems Are Common In Leaky Homes? EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems). The problem with these cladding systems are not the cladding themselves, but the way many of them have been installed and finished. If you have any concerns, you should seek professional advice.
What happened before EIFs?
Before the EIFS industry knew what had happened, the news media was reporting building defects in these EIFS houses. This caused panic in and around the Wilmington area. From there the panic spread to other parts of the country. By the end of 1995, the EIFS water intrusion crisis had spread across the country.
How long has the EIFS been around?
By 1995, the EIFS industry had been around for 25 years. The EIFS housing business had been growing strong for 20 years. Then the summer hurricane season began and two storms dumped large amounts of rain on the Carolina coast. The city of Wilmington, N.C., was near the center point of both storms. In September, after the storms subsided, Wilmington’s city building department began to get calls about water related damage in houses.
What was the boom of the EIFs industry?
The boom of EIFS in the residential market also continued to grow throughout the 1980s. More and more applicators were getting into the residential game as the demand increased.
How much of the EIFS industry has lost?
The EIFS industry had lost almost 30 percent of its business with the loss of the residential market. The EIFS residential water intrusion stigma would be with the industry for years to come. But if we can learn from the past, the EIFS industry should be able to achieve a foothold again in the residential market.
When did the EIFS water intrusion crisis start?
By the end of 1995 , the EIFS water intrusion crisis had spread across the country. The media and the lawyers had a field day as multiple lawsuits were filed against the builders, the applicators, and the manufacturers. Even the CBS news show 60 Minutes had a feature on the issue.
When did EIFS peak?
Despite the water intrusion issues that occurred in the fall of 1995, EIFS industry sales (including commercial and residential sales) peaked in 1996. However, the overall business continued to drop until 2002. Then the business began to rebound even with the loss of the majority of the residential business.
Where were EIFs in high demand?
The coastal areas of Georgia, South and North Carolina, Virginia, and the panhandle of Florida were just a few of the areas where EIFS houses were in high demand because of the style options available. At the end of the ’80s, the EIFS housing market was thriving.
Overview
History of EIFS
EIFS was developed in Europe after World War II and was initially used to retrofit masonry walls. EIFS started to be used in North America in the 1960s, at first on commercial masonry buildings. EIFS became very popular in the mid- 1970s due to the oil embargo and the resultant surge in interest in insulating wall systems that conserve energy used for heating and cooling. The use of EIFS over stud-and-sheathing framing instead of over solid walls is a technique used primarily in …
Terminology
In the United States the International Building Code and ASTM International define Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) as a nonload bearing, exterior wall cladding system that consists of an insulation board attached either adhesively or mechanically, or both, to the substrate; an integrally reinforced base coat; and a textured protective finish coat.
EIFS with Drainage, another EIFS system, is the predominant method of EIFS applied today. As t…
EIFS installation
EIFS are typically attached to the outside face of exterior walls with an adhesive (cementitious or acrylic based) or mechanical fasteners. Adhesives are commonly used to attach EIFS to gypsum board, cement board, or concrete substrates. EIFS are attached with mechanical fasteners (specially designed for this application) when installed over housewraps (sheet-good weather barriers) such as are commonly used over wood sheathings. The supporting wall surface shoul…
EIFS since year 2000
Research, conducted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and supported by the Department of Energy, has affirmed that EIFS are the "best performing cladding" in relation to thermal and moisture control when compared to brick, stucco, and cementitious fiberboard siding. EIFS are in compliance with modern building codes that emphasize energy conservation through the use of CI (continuous insulation) and a continuous air barrier.
Composition and types of EIFS
Types of EIFS are defined by their materials and the existence/absence of a drainage plane. The EIFS Industry Members Association (EIMA) defines two classes of EIFS, Class PB (polymer based) identified as PB EIFS and Class PM (polymer modified) identified as PM EIFS.
PB EIFS is the most common type in North America and historically used expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation adhered to the substrate with fiberglass mesh embedded in a nominal 1/16 inc…
Legal issues
EIFS systems have been the subject of several lawsuits in the United States, mostly related to the installation process and failure of the system causing moisture buildups and subsequent mold growth. The most notable case concerned the former San Martin, California courthouse. This case was settled for 12 million dollars.
The basic underlying problem behind EIFS litigation was that EIFS was marketed as a cost-effec…
Marketing of EIFS and the EIFS industry
EIFS account for about 10% of the US commercial wall cladding market. There are several dozen EIFS manufacturers in North America. Some sell nationwide, and some are regional in their area of business operations. The EIFS manufacturers sell the various system components (adhesives, coatings, etc.) through specialty building product distributors, who in turn resell the components to local EIFS installers. The top five EIFS producers account for about 90% of the US market. The…