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

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L Lr VIVWS ruucICs content. http: / /www.eifsinfo.netJeifs- news.htm "We looked at a full year's performance," says Kenney, "and the tests showed EIFS walls without vapor • barriers dry out in five weeks, but the walls with vapor barriers take eight times as long." That makes it even more important to keep water out. • What's the Fix? So how is all this likely to turn out? Look for changes in several areas. • Better details. Would you stake your reputation on a caulk joint? That's basically what EIFS detailing requires around windows and doors, and even some caulk joints installed to spec are failing. • Part of the problem, researchers say, may be that EIFS companies have adapted commercial details for residential installations. Look for companies to respond with new generations of details designed for home building. EIMA is revising its generic construction details publication. • Applicator training. To the extent that unskilled applicators caused some problems, applicator certification and training by manufacturers may not be stringent or broad enough. There are reports that applicators mixed components from different companies, which puts warranties at risk. Also, applicators moving from dry regions (like California) to do work in moist climates (like the Pacific Northwest) may not be aware of moisture problems. Look for training and certification to improve, perhaps conducted by a third party like the NAHB Research Center. • Full accountability. The word from many of the builders and inspectors BUILDER talked to is that applicators aren't, but should be, responsible for the performance of the entire system: surfaces, caulking, fleshings, and all. EIFS contractors commonly come in after fleshings are in place, and may not even do the caulking now. • Tougher warranties. Warranties serve two purposes: they cover repair costs for eligible claims, and they build buyer confidence in products. In this case it may prove easier to cover the claims than to rebuild confidence. Technical warranty settlements will take a long time to resolve. EIMA is negotiating with builders and owners to solve the Wilmington problems. And homeowners filed class action lawsuits against manufacturers last December that will take time to settle. But in many ways builders and owners are more worried about lost value than wet walls. What do builders want? Besides taking care of damages, they want EIFS companies to give long -term, transferable, insured, total system performance warranties, says builder Dean Potter, who's also former president of the Wilmington/Cape Fear HBA. "If you can't repair the value of the homes," he says, "it won't matter whether you come up with physical repairs." The irony is that even as problems with EIFS persist, Wilmington builders would still like to use the product. That's because they, and their buyers, like the systems' energy performance, architectural flexibility, and appearance. • And if they can improve the details, EIFS can even live up to its low- maintenance claims. "None of the 3 of 10 1/9/2001 9:42 PM