Masonry Magazine October 1997 Page. 34
EIFS Manufacturers in Europe
EIFS manufacturers in Europe respected the potential for water leakage, and they are experimenting with new design and market opportunities for their systems. EIFS manufacturers in Europe are probably ahead of their U.S. counterparts for these reasons. Drainage plane designs have only recently appeared in the United States, and the majority of the time the finish of choice in the U.S. is still the stucco-like finish.
Courses of Action for the Building Owner
As stated previously, a key word search on any computer with an Internet connection will reveal a plethora of information on both the virtues and potential problems of synthetic stucco systems. The majority of the information will be on problems with EIFS and how to avoid them. Without drainage planes, these are unforgiving systems and so design, application and maintenance criteria must be followed precisely by everyone involved with the system for the life of the building. To make these systems work at the outset, proper design must be accomplished, certified applicators must be employed, and inspection assistance from qualified third parties during the application stage is highly suggested. Owners must know how to properly maintain these systems too. Owners contemplating exterior wall finish alternatives on new buildings should consider the life cycle costs of these and alternative materials rather than focusing on the least first costs, and factor these into the decision of whether or not to use EIFS. If insulating capacity is a goal, then there may be other more cost effective ways to achieve energy efficiency, such as with additional batts insulation. If design flexibility is a goal, then creative use of brick or stone masonry, conventional stucco, or other finishes that provide more "forgiveness" might be a good idea. Forgiveness in this instance means the ability of the cladding system to withstand moisture penetration without allowing damage to occur to the cladding material itself or to the structural framing, fastening systems, or mechanical systems behind it. The brick cavity wall, for example, offers this forgiveness. Any water that leaks through the brick veneer drops out in the cavity space behind it and is returned to the outside at the base of the wall through the use of base flashings and weep holes. The fundamental design of a masonry wall has provided owners the ability
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34 MASONRY-SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER, 1997
to manage water infiltration at the surface of the building envelope for centuries. Contemporary uses of brick demonstrate their potential for great design flexibility too.
A paper-backed metal lath used in conjunction with conventional stucco would be another example of a cladding system that is fairly forgiving. The moisture retarder behind conventional stucco will stop the advance of any water that leaks through cracks or openings in the stucco. The owner is advised, however, that the presence of water even in these materials can cause problems, so these systems are not problem free either. None of the cladding systems will work very well if the flashings are installed improperly, and this seems to be a ubiquitous problem in the building construction today. Suffice it to say that good judgment during the design stage and a high degree of quality control over workmanship during application must be used with any cladding system. With EIFS, however, these quality controls seem to be more critical than with most other cladding systems.
Possible Courses of Action for Building Owners
Owners of EIFS-clad buildings should conduct an inspection to assure themselves that there are no problems from water infiltration. As noted earlier, damage is virtually undetectable to the casual observer and this is one reason a qualified inspector should be contacted for assistance. The owner's goals are to identify problems early, repair damage, and avert future problems.
Potential problem areas that often require more detailed investigations include the following:
Roof runoff over wall surfaces
Narrow roof overhangs (or none) and failure to install gutters thus allowing water to run off of roofs over or near walls, providing a supply of water that can enter cracks in the wall system.
Visible problems with gutters and downspouts
Gutters, downspouts and the flashing pieces used in conjunction with these can divert water behind the insulation boards if not installed or maintained properly.