Category Archives: Hall Of Shame

EIFS Cracking Due to Lack of Mesh

Posted by Admin on February 7, 2011 None comments

Exterior Insulation Finish Systems incorporate a coated fibreglass mesh designed to allow flexibility due to expansion and contraction, and prevent the base coat and finish coat from cracking. In situations where the base coat and finish coat crack, water is able to get into wall system where it can and will go through freeze/thaw cycles – which over time, cause further deterioration of the EIFS. This mesh needs to be applied where ever there is a penetration or break in the EIFS, and over the entire surface of the insulation. In the image below it is apparent where the contractor decided not to apply the mesh, to save the “hassle” of cutting a small section where the soffit is.

You can clearly see the edges of the full 2′ x 4′ insulation board used in EIFS due to the fissuring of the base coat and finish coat over just a few years. Without the mesh to deal with the stresses and maintain the integrity of the coating, the base coat and finish coat have both cracked. While the location (a small corner of a soffit) is not likely to cause massive damage to the building because of moisture having a means of ingress, it’s both an eyesore and a potential problem nonetheless.

What was done correctly on the project was incorporating the drip edge. By extending the EIFS that makes up the wall slightly below the soffit, any water that runs down the wall is forced to fall to the ground instead of running along the underside of the soffit due to surface tension. This leads one to believe that the building was properly designed by the architect, and the fault of the improper installation lies on the contractor. Because this is just one building in a large commercial complex surrounding one of Toronto’s largest malls, one wonders if the other buildings suffer the same lack of proper care.

The EIFS Lies Countinue

Posted by Admin on December 8, 2009 None comments

Source: http://www.scottshepard.net/remaxil/modules/agent/agent.asp?p=pagecontent.asp&nav=1&pid=42&acc=89890

It’s ironic this guy’s last name is Shepard, because he’s leading his clients astray. Even today, uninformed real estate agents, building inspectors and many others are posting and re-posting false information about EIFS. I just need to address a few of the issues with this article:

1)

In 1994, moisture damage to the interior of walls was being linked to EIFS. In August 1995, 32 EIFS clad homes in North Carolina were tested and 30 were found to have moisture problems. In January 1996, the National Association of Home Builders issued a “Builders Alert” about EIFS. In May 1996, Raleigh North Carolina, imposed a moratorium on the product through January 1997. In March 1996, the North Carolina Building Code Council adopted stringent guidelines for the application of EIFS mandating that a drainage system be installed in the exterior walls of EIFS homes. By September 1996, twelve class-action lawsuits had been launched in the States. In September 1996, Maryland Casualty Company notified its clients, who were contractors, that work with EIFS systems would no longer be insurable. At about the same time, a major relocation company advised its clients that it would eliminate the guarantee on EIFS homes for employees seeking their services during a transfer.

The Mortgage Division of the Chevy Chase Bank decided about the same time to no longer accept mortgages on houses built with Synthetic Stucco. In January 1997, the Georgia Association of Realtors changed its property disclosure statement to disclose whether the house was built with EIFS.

It’s amazing how things can look bad when you stop half way through History. Could you imagine if we only knew about world war 2 up until 1940? I’d be scared for my life that Hitler was in power. That’s exactly what these uninformed “professionals” have done. Further testing revealed that the source of water intrusion was around window penetrations due to poorly specified and installed details. North Carolina later found that this problem was not exclusive by any means to EIFS, but to just about any cladding. Jump forward a few more years, and barrier EIFS (the type where the moisture problems were possibly with – are no longer being recommended by manufacturers, but have been replaced by a new system – dual-barrier/drainage EIFS.

2)

There are many different systems offered by various manufacturers, but in general, EIFS wall systems consist of a wood frame wall (usually 2×4 or 2×6 lumber), covered with sheathing such as plywood, OSB, or gypsum board. Plastic foam insulation boards are then glued or fastened to the sheathing. A 1/16- to 1/4- inch-thick stucco base coat is troweled on to the insulation. A glass fiber reinforcing mesh is imbedded in the base coat. Finally, a finished coat is sprayed, troweled or rolled on. This finish coat provides the color and texture of the home. Many installations have no building paper or housewrap behind the stucco to act as a backup material.

Again, this WAS the situation with EIFS, but isn’t any longer.

3)

Rainwater appears to be getting into the wall systems through imperfections in the stucco. These include joints around windows and doors and penetrations from railings, wiring, plumbing, vents, etc. Once water gets behind the system it gets trapped, leading to mold, mildew and rot of the sheathing, studs, flooring and other framing members. EIFS houses often look good until sections of the wall are removed revealing concealed damage. The damage can even take place within the first few years of the home’s life. As most of the damage has been found in houses in coastal areas, some have suggested that condensation is a problem; however, since the most severe damage seems to show up around wall penetrations, condensation does not appear to be the culprit. The worst damage is often found below and beside windows.

Modern EIFS allow water to drain, not trapping it any more. Penetrations around window should hardly be considered “imperfections” in the stucco as it’s a detail that the original builder should have properly finished, and not specifically related to EIFS.

4)

There is little that can be done on existing systems short of re-siding or paying fanatical attention to keeping the water out. Caulking and flashing maintenance should be a high priority for people with synthetic stucco houses.

In the very newest installations, contractors are using building paper or housewrap behind the insulation to protect the sheathing. In addition, the newest installations are designed with a drainage system behind the insulation to allow any water, which does get in, to drain out. This is not unlike the drainage system found in a brick veneer home. These improvements should work but only if they are well constructed.

The first point is a good one for any cladding – caulking needs to be replaced as required on any home. This typically needs to be done every 5-10 years for optimal performance, and a sure sign is that it’s cracking or peeling off the frame to which it’s attached.

5)

So far we know that areas of high rain fall, and particularly areas with rain accompanied by wind, result in houses with the most damage. Homes, which have no roof, overhang, a very small overhang or many penetrations through the wall systems (i.e. lots of windows and doors) are also at risk. Unfortunately, a visual inspection cannot tell the whole story and until invasive testing becomes standardized and sufficient data becomes available for our area, concealed damage in synthetic stucco houses will remain a question mark.  If you were planning to purchase or sell a home with EIFS that was installed before 1998, we would recommend a full EIFS inspection be performed and included with your closing documents.

Finally, something I can agree with. Any home a high-rain/wind (i.e. coastal) area is most susceptible to damage, EIFS or not. Small roof overhangs and lots of windows do increase the chances of problems in a cladding. Older EIFS installations do need to be inspected, and an EIFS-specific inspector is what is recommended. That’s not to say all new installations are perfect, EIFS is a very technically installation and there are a lot of contractors out there who are looking to make a quick buck, with no regard to their client or the industry they’re damaging.

Who’s Tim Oglesby? Supposedly “educated professional”: http://activerain.com/homecheck

Stucco Wall Graffiti Art

Posted by Admin on October 2, 2009 1 comments

This is classified under “Hall of Shame”, but really it belongs in the “Hall of Fame”! I haven’t seen anything like this yet, and it could very well catch on in the coming years. The contrast is huge between the earthly-toned wall and vibrant colours, promoting the business to which the wall is a part of. Could people who would normally vandalize stucco walls be less inclined to because of a “creative bond” if another artist has already left his mark?

Effective Use of Graffiti to Advertise on Stucco

Effective Use of Graffiti to Advertise on Stucco

The stucco itself is sprayed directly with spraypaint, which as anyone who has had their stucco vandalized with graffiti can tell you, is extremely hard to remove.

TripleFX.ca in Ottawa

TripleFX.ca in Ottawa

Aside from the obvious spray painting onto the stucco wall, there is some real talent involved in this, making it look 3D and more than just some paint on a wall. The letters could use a little less “shine”/white but the mural jumps out at your face as you drive by.

Using Spray Paint as a Poster on Stucco

Using Spray Paint as a Poster on Stucco

This is a trend that could very well catch on. There are already shop owners who allow kids to spray/paint murals on their brick and concrete walls, why not stucco?

Raccoon Climbs Stucco, Permanent Damage

Posted by Admin on September 26, 2009 1 comments

This is the first time I have ever seen anything like this. This part was a new addition to the house, and a window must have been open because what appears to be a raccoon climbed the EIFS wall while the finish coat wasn’t quite fully set, leaving his little claw marks all over the corner of the wall. The damage is permanent in as far as it needs to be re-coated and re-finished, but the system should still function as intended.

Raccoon Climbs Stucco

The real shame of course, is that the owner didn’t bother to fix it.

Grocery Store Site Made Mouldings and Trim

Posted by Admin on September 26, 2009 1 comments

This is why I always recommend for general contractors and architects to push for factory-made stucco trim. Take a close look at the shadows the trim is casting…

Site Made Stucco Trim

EIFS contractors can usually save 15% on the EIFS mouldings by doing them on site – what is referred to as “site made” trim. While this is true, and the applicators make extra money by making them themselves instead of buying from a factory, what you wind up with is edges that are never straight. This isn’t a huge problem on smaller projects such as homes (although still noticeable), but on large commercial projects, where the sun can hit the trim at just the right angle, every wave and bow in the moulding is amplified – resulting in what you see here.

On the bottom, middle panels there are also dents that appear to be from a baseball or similar. High impact mesh wasn’t used, and really there was no need for it. The wall was just vandalized. The architect did have enough foresight to segment the wall into smaller sections so that it was more easily repairable.