Replies

1. 
   src | May 18, 1999 09:57am | #14

   *
   The man by the lake is right. Here in B.C., mostly in the Vancouver area, there are THOUSANDS of condos that leak. The thing about it is they were all stucco coated and the Govt says it will probably be at least half a BILLION to fix them all

2. 
   Guest_ | May 19, 1999 08:48am | #15

   *
   Some day a lobster on the loose is gonna get you Gabe!!!

   J

3. 
   WILDWILLY_ | May 19, 1999 09:39am | #16

   *
   Dan,
   You can use two ice picks and a volt ohm meter to
   check for moisture in the substrate.Stick the ice
   picks through the coating to the substrate about 3
   inches apart. Dry plywood should read infinity. I
   live in the area where the problem was first
   discovered. It is a coastal area with year-round high
   humidity. I don't know if this is a contributing
   factor or not. The homes in this area where the first
   serious problems showed up where all up-scale(ie:high
   priced) custom built homes. These homes where covered
   with EIFS by "FACTORY CERTIFIED INSTALLERS". In my
   opinion there is no way to mantain a leakproof seal
   between metal flashing, vinyl windows, and an EI

4. 
   Guest_ | May 19, 1999 02:25pm | #17

   *
   Hey, Dan, I have two questions for you:

   1. What part of North Carolina do you live in?

   2. "Mr. Kisser, the Amazing Kissing Machine?"

1. 
   Guest_ | May 24, 1999 12:38am | #18

   *I've tried to read that post twice and I still haven't gotten through it...

1. 
   Guest_ | May 24, 1999 12:49am | #19

   *Fiyo,I don't live in North Carolina. I live in Nashville. It seems that EIFS has caused the biggest stink in North Carolina, so that's where the conversations seem to steer. I've got some friends with an EIFS clad house and wanted to trest it to alleviate their nightmares. I hope to hell I don't confirm them.Since switching my ISP a couple of weeks ago I haven't loaded Mr Kisser up to the new one yet. I'll do it now. Mr Kisser!It should be up by the time you click that.Dan

1. 
   Guest_ | May 24, 1999 01:53am | #20

   *Ok,Try clicking here

5. 
   Guest_ | May 24, 1999 01:54am | #21

   *
   Im in the process of inspecting water leakage on three homes in the Midwest that are finished with synthetic stucco. Id like to hear from folks who have dealt with past problems and what the final outcomes were....as in where were the leaks coming from. I have my opinions on where mine are ocurring...but as we all know, a water leak is hard to trace. Thanks.

   Dave

1. 
   Guest_ | May 05, 1999 11:10pm | #1

   *They can't be fixed...They are lobster traps...They need to be tore off and redone with a water stop layer and a weep layer or choose another siding.Most all the manufacturers now have new specs for all that will minise the problem.They will always leak so I'm not for EIFS except for in the deserts.Near the stream and seeing huge money in repairs for decades to come!!!!J

1. 
   Guest_ | May 06, 1999 03:17am | #2

   *Hi Dave,Might be a great opportunity to have good discussion with your on sight inspections. There is no reason to believe that the synthetic stucco is to blame, by itself. Could be an installation problem as opposed to a product failure.Maybe you can give a few details. Where are the leaks located?Is there any common denominator in the three other than exterior siding?How severe is the damage and is it ongoing?What are your first thoughts on this problem after your visit?Thanks in advance,Gabe

1. 
   Guest_ | May 06, 1999 05:35am | #3

   *IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING AM PLANING ON COMBINATION BRICK AND STUCCO DOING R&D NOW 35 YEARS EXPERANCE WITH MASONRY STUCCO EXPERIANCE OVER BLOCK WITH CEMENT BASED CALIF STUCCO PRODUTS WITH ACYLIC ADDITIVES CHECKING SPECS ON SYNTHETIC ACRILICS DONT WANT TO SCREW UP AND BE SORRY HOW MUCH CAUTION IS ADIQATE FOR PROTECTION OF WOOD FRAMING WITH WATER INFILTRATION? ANY ADVICE APPRECIATED THANKS SPECS AND BROCURES SEEM TO BE SLANTED AND BIASED TOWARED THEIR PRODUCT SALES REPS ALWAYS TURN ME OFF I REATHER GET ADVICE FROM ANOTHER TRADES MAN

1. 
   Guest_ | May 15, 1999 06:18am | #4

   *After my inspections i did some pretty heavy research on EIFS, mainly failures in North Carolna. Of the homes they tested, 95% had moisture problems. In the failures in NC, as in mine, it is not the EIFS cladding that is failing but rather poor detailing around windows, doors, eaves, roof/wall intersections. I also have some really poor quality windows that are leaking. I wasnt aware that synthetic stucco has been in use in the USA since 1969. It all comes down to doing a quality installation, following the manufacturers installaion specs to the letter, and flashing, flashing, flashing. The bad deal with EIFS is that once the water gets behind it, it cant get out, unless it is a drainable system. That got me thinking...couldnt this happen with Tyvek, et al.?? Still learning...if anyone had any questions, I'd be glad to try and answer them. Im not an expert but Ive learned alot over the past couple weeks.Dave

2. 
   Deemark | May 16, 1999 06:06am | #5

   *Creature, I won't pretend to be an expert on EIFS applications, however this exterior application seems to be the trend in commercial building in my area. I do know that manufactures specs are a must to follow. Most applicators use asphalt felt as a barrier under the foam from moisture. From my experience, most moisture presence is due to two factors, poor sealants used around openings, and high vapor pressure within the building. Possibly consider replacing sealants with a manufacturer recomendation. Have the vapor prssure tested within the building, you may need to upgrade your ventilation. As for Tyvek and conventional siding applications it is virtually impossible for this to happen as Tyvek is designed to let the building breathe without allowing moisture to penetrate, and without the the complication of an adhered product i.e. foam, any moisture that makes it past the siding is naturally drained to the exterior.

3. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 06:15am | #6

   *I've heard the argument before that nothing is wrong with the materials or system - its all installation failure. I can't help but wonder if 95% of a new model of a pick-up truck crashed - would we blame only the drivers? Or if 95% of the users of a particular model of circular saw were injured, would we only blame the user?I'm sure if its installed perfectly and maintained - like annual or several times annually inspecting and repairing sealants for the life of the building - that an eifs barrier system is fine.

4. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 04:28pm | #7

   *Clay,Your "Caps Lock" button is on.

5. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 04:43pm | #8

   *Do any of you know where to purchase the moisture meter to test these houses with? I want to sneak around some neighborhoods here and test randomly at night.I wonder if within the 95% failure rate in North Carolina, we'd find that most of the homes were built by one (or two) "National Builders". You know the type -- "We build two thousand houses a day", and also has a fleet of waranty trucks. If you build two thousand houses a day, saving a buck or two on a tube of caulk can really add up...It does seem hard to believe though that a product can fail 95% of the time and have it all due to improper installation.I sure would like one of those meters though...Dan

6. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 05:56pm | #9

   *Testing meters are sold by the home inspection suppliers...The meter you want is as much as a few hundred dollars.You'll learn to spot "lobster traps" without one quickly...By the stream, too dry to catch lobsters of late,J

7. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 06:02pm | #10

   *Caps, a minor detail of a new English dialect in it's formative stage?Near the stream,J

8. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 06:57pm | #11

   *I grew up in Maine.Few hundred bucks huh? Hmpfh.What are the visual signs of a potential problem (other than yawning gaps at windows/doors)?

9. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 07:08pm | #12

   *It's as if they switched the brake and gas pedals and then said "you didn't read the owners manual" when you crashed. New installation proceedures in the construction industry are (or should be) first the manufacturers responsibility if failure to follow these will ultimately cause failure of the product. Second the specifiers responsibility, and only finally the installers responsibility.This is often why some manufactures will only make new products available through licensed installers. If you give them to idiots then they better be idiot proof. If you give them to people used to doing things one way, then will get done that way. A job site is seldom the place to read pages and pages of technical specifications.

10. 
    Guest_ | May 16, 1999 10:04pm | #13

    *OK, first off, Im definitely not an EIFS expert, just someone trying to make sense out a bad situation. My first thought on EIFS, as a builder, is that the integrity of the system falls on caulk joints, and if that is what is holding it together, I dont want it on my house. And we all know caulk means maintenance. And the majority of the homeowners arent going to inspect thier caulk joints yearly or semi-annually and then apply/repair as needed. Back to the Tyvek issue. Isnt Tyvek supposed to let moisture vapor through and keep liquid moisture out? Does it work this way on both sides of the paper?Dave