02/13/2001 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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&Ira ivcwS Armies • • Acy,AJA 7 a t ,, F EIFS in the News httpi /www.eifsinfo.nedeifs- news.htm Troubleshooters Target EIFS - March 1996 Problems With Barrier EIFS - Spring 1998 Caution Advised in Using EIFS Systems - November 1998 Building Industry Reacts To Barrier EIFS :Moisture Intrusion Issues - Spring 1999 Crumbling Walls Creating A Stir - April 1999 From BUILDER, March 1996 Troubleshooters Target EIFS By Rick Schwolsky, Senior Editor, Building Like forecasters tracking a hurricane, builders all over the country are following a swirling controversy in North and South Carolina about moisture - damaged homes with exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) -- synthetic stucco applied over foam sheathing. Researchers have descended on the region to study the damage. They seem to have identified the problem: Water from outside is getting into exterior walls and damaging framing, sheathing, and in some cases, interior finishes. EIFS surfaces aren't failing. Instead, water is leaking through surface penetrations, around flashings at architectural details, and past caulked joints around window and door openings (often the only thing standing between a dry wall and a bad reputation). Here's what researchers found: • The North Carolina Home Builders Association says 95 percent of randomly tested houses have some problem; damages average $3,000 to $5,000. • The American Institute of Architects found unacceptable moisture levels in 90 percent of the 205 houses it tested. • The EIFS Industry Members Association (EIMA) inspected 68 houses: 20 had $1,500 or less in damages, 35 had damage of $3,000 or less, and six had damage of more than $10,000. The situation is keeping local inspectors busy. "Out of 73 homes we tested, we only found two that were dry," says Allen Golden, assistant director of inspections for Hanover County, N.C. (which includes Wilmington, where the problem is centered). The moisture damage in the others ranged from a couple of wet windows to total loss, says Golden. Several Carolina builders report dealing with repairs costing $30,000 to $100,000. Insurers have written off some houses as total losses after only five years. "The first EIFS home I looked at was a total loss," says Golden. "I think the insurance settlement was worth about $417,000." "When I first heard about this last August I thought it was one bad applicator or builder," says Paul Wilms of the North Carolina HBA. "But that wasn't the case because some of the best builders in the area 1 of 10 1/9/2001 9:42 PM