Tag Archives: eifs

Retrofit Rebate Program Cut Early

Posted by Admin on February 1, 2012 None comments

Bad news for anybody who hasn’t signed up to get an energy audit done yet – you’re out of luck if you want to qualify for grants and rebates for making your home more energy efficient. Renovations like adding EIFS to the outside of your home will not only save hundreds (maybe thousands) on heating bills every year – but the government was previously giving you money to do so. The incentive for the government was obvious – less train on the electricity grid, which has experienced it’s share of blackouts over the past few years as thousands of new homes are built in the GTA.

While the program was supposed to run until the end of March, parliament shut it down early stating that it “has reached it’s target of 250,000 homes”.

The logic is questionable – if the program is such a success and Canadians are responding well to it, why shut it down?

Many home owners are deciding to update their homes through renovations in a number of ways. The cost to “go green” is slightly more expensive up front – but saves thousands in the long haul. Programs like the Retrofit Rebate Program help foot the costs to make homes more energy efficient, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It also makes the home more affordable by reducing monthly expenses, helping Canadians with their dream of home ownership. It’s almost as if the Government doesn’t care for it’s citizens’ quality of life, or the environment. If the Government doesn’t care for it’s citizens, what’s the purpose of it being in existence in the first place?

Lyle Shipley of the Canada Green Building Council alludes to the fact that the decision is “short sighted thinking” and that the program would eventually pay for itself.

Fortunately, those already in the program have until March 31st to complete the retrofits, and until June 30th to collect the rebates.

To be kept in the loop about any new upcoming grants or rebates, make sure to request a quote from us at Toronto Stucco Contractor.

Dryvit Parent RPM International Buys German EIFS Manufacturer FEMA GmbH

Posted by Admin on December 19, 2011 None comments

RPM International – who owns Dryvit Systems – has acquired another EIFS manufacturer based out of Germany. While the news doesn’t affect Canada per-se, but does demonstrate that EIFS have a bright future going forward and that major players are willing to invest big money into the future of the industry.

MEDINA, Ohio, Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – RPM International Inc. (NYSE: RPM) announced today that its RPM Building Solutions Group (RPM BSG) has signed an agreement to acquire FEMA Farben + Putze GmbH (FEMA GmbH) of Ettlingen, Germany.  FEMA GmbH, with annual sales of more than USD $40 million, is a leading manufacturer and supplier of External Insulating and Finishing Systems (EIFS) and complementary product lines to the German and French construction markets. Terms of the transaction, which is expected to be accretive to earnings within one year, were not disclosed.

“The addition of FEMA’s EIFS product line immediately enhances our capabilities to address the market for energy efficient and sustainable high-performance buildings in Germany, the current number one marketplace for EIFS in the world, and France, one of the fastest growing markets for EIFS.  It also provides a platform to extend FEMA’s product systems through existing RPM subsidiary companies into other European countries,” stated Frank C. Sullivan, RPM chairman and chief executive officer.

“FEMA’s energy efficient cladding complements our Tremco illbruck building sealing technologies, allowing us to serve a larger portion of the market for energy efficient buildings,” stated Reiner Eisenhut, president and managing director of RPM BSG Europe.

FEMA GmbH will operate as a stand-alone business within RPM BSG Europe in conjunction with Tremco illbruck and the FEMA GmbH existing management team, which was developed by Heinz Fedder, founder and CEO, who will continue with the company in a consulting capacity.

About RPM
RPM International Inc., a holding company, owns subsidiaries that are world leaders in specialty coatings, sealants, building materials and related services serving both industrial and consumer markets.  RPM’s industrial products include roofing systems, sealants, corrosion control coatings, flooring coatings and specialty chemicals.  Industrial brands include Stonhard, Tremco, illbruck, Carboline, Euco, Flowcrete and Universal Sealants.  RPM’s consumer products are used by professionals and do-it-yourselfers for home maintenance and improvement and by hobbyists.  Consumer brands include Zinsser, Rust-Oleum, DAP, Varathane and Testors.  Additional details are available atwww.rpminc.com.

For more information, contact Robert L. Matejka, senior vice president and chief financial officer, at 330-273-5090 or rmatejka@rpminc.com.

Stucco Home Insurance: How Does EIFS Affect Insurance

Posted by Admin on December 14, 2011 None comments

Stucco (or more accurately, EIFS) is enormously popular on homes in and around the Greater Toronto area due in large part to it’s great aesthetic appeal and it’s ability to insulate, thereby reducing heating and cooling bills. It’s become a “hot topic” (pun intended) for insurance companies – moreso in the U.S. than Canada – over the past few decades because of problems if improperly installed. Problems which range from moisture intrusion and entrapment to the combustibility of it’s components and decorative accents.

Before starting any home improvement project, it’s a good idea to call your insurance provider to check whether or not it will affect your home insurance policy. Failure to contact them and update your policy when changing something as drastic as the exterior walls on your home could actually void your home insurance warranty.

Think about it… let’s say you retrofitted your home with stucco in July of 2012 at a cost of $12,000 and were happy with the contractor – he was polite, on time, did everything according to the contract and finished on a good note. 3 years down the road (it’s 2015 now) you have a building inspection completed for termites because it’s been an issue in your neighbourhood. During the inspection, the home inspector doesn’t find any termites, but notes that you have moisture trapped in your walls – around the windows, wherever. Remembering that mould is somewhere in your insurance policy, you contact your insurance provider who sends someone out to investigate and they’re shocked that your home doesn’t match what’s on the paperwork. Your insurance company won’t cover the damage any more, because what you’ve been paying for does not have EIFS-related coverage. Let’s take a look at some of the damages you’ve incurred:
- Insurance: 36 months x $200/month = $7200
- Removal of EIFS: $4,000
- Removal and repair of mould/moisture damaged wall section: $7,000
- Reinstallation of EIFS, done properly: $13,000
Total: $31,200

That’s $31,200 out-of-pocket expense that is related to your one forgotten phone call to your insurance company. Note that properly installed EIFS usually is slightly (give or take 10%) more expensive than the shmuck who cut his costs by cutting required material out of your home. Good luck finding him too – the average “stucco contractor” is in business roughly 2 years before closing it down and opening another or going to work with a friend.

If properly installed, and done in accordance to local building codes (following fire code where necessary), EIFS is a worry-free system that will last decades and save you thousands of dollars in heating and cooling bills. The trick then, is to find the right contractor – one that has a proven track record and can be vouched by manufacturers and previous clients. Services like Stucco Toronto can put you in touch with multiple contractors, are provide a neutral – 3rd party approach to your project.

The takeaway from this article is this:
1. Make sure you contact your home insurance provider to include coverage of EIFS, which may or may not affect your policy.
2. Compare quotes and get recommendations from suppliers/previous-customers, but don’t try to force a contractor to lower their prices to the point where they are going to cut corners – you’re the only one that will suffer in the end.

Efflorescence and Stucco Repairs

Posted by Admin on September 12, 2011 None comments
Stucco Efflorescence

Water that has penetrated the finish coat can cause efflorescence, further damaging the finish coat.

The base coat in stucco (both traditional and EIFS, or synthetic stucco) is a cementitious material. Because of the composition and nature of cement, salts that are naturally present within the material can be drawn out with water or moisture. Wikipedia defines Efflorescence as:

In chemistry, efflorescence (which means “to flower out” in French) is the loss of water (or a solvent) of crystallization from a hydrated or solvated salt to the atmosphere on exposure to air.

“to flower out” in French. How romantic.

Efflorescence occurs in stucco when it is not properly protected with a finish coating, either because it was improperly applied or when water has seeped in from another source. The damage – while initially only aesthetic – can lead to further decay of the finish coat and base coat. It’s an indicator that water is getting in from somewhere, and should not be there. The base coat in stucco should never be exposed to water.

Efflorescence is like a cancer that spreads rapidly, causing more extensive damage if left untreated. Before doing any stucco repairs, the root cause of the problem must first be addressed. Is the water entering from another location, perhaps above the stucco?, at the soffit? Through an improperly sealed window or hose bib?

Once the root cause has been fixed, the extent of the damage must be evaluated. Does the system need to replaced right through the insulation, or just the base coat and finish coat? Stucco repairs aren’t just a one-size fits all. Though a full replacement of the wall will fix nearly any problem, this is typically overkill and far more expensive than is actually required. A qualified stucco / EIFS inspector, manufacturer rep or reputable contractor will help you determine what needs to be done. While going back to the original contractor to get it repaired under warranty is the best bet, ensure that the EIFS manufacturer gets involved – after all, it’s in their best interest to get it repaired as cheaply and inexpensive as possible.

Stucco Colours Fading

Posted by Admin on September 9, 2011 None comments

Stucco (EIFS) comes in a literally limitless number of possible colours, as home owners and architects are able to pick out of a catalog or even have colour swatches or samples matched. Like any coloured exterior product however, stucco colours will change over time due to exposure to sunlight (UV radiation).

Fading Stucco Colour

The darker portion is the area that was originally protected by a canopy.

What can be done about this? Nothing really. It’s just a fact of life. If the situation is apparent enough (as in the top image) because of a permanent change (removal of a canopy), the wall can simply be re-painted using an EIFS paint if the finish coat is still in good condition. Repainting the stucco is far less expensive than going through a full stucco repair, which would be unnecessary in a case like this. This can actually be an opportunity to entirely change the colour of the stucco if a new, updated look is desired. Trying to apply a colour that is close to the ‘faded’ one is pointless, as it will also change over time.

EIFS Colour Fading

The portion that was protected by the canopy is closer to the original colour.

Faded stucco causes no concern about the integrity of the system itself, the change is simply an aesthetic one. What’s important to realize is that if a patch were to be done using the original pail of finish coat, the patch would be closer in colour to the portion of wall that was protected from sunlight.

Darker colours generally tend to change more over time than lighter colours because of the quantity of pigment in the coating. Light colours are just as susceptible however to the change due to exposure to sunlight.