Cracks coming through E.I.F.S.

[hausdok]

Did a house the other day that's completely wrapped in EIFS.

The house was built in 1996 - right on the border of idiotic EIFS installations and somewhat more sensible EIFS installations. Uses details from both eras.

Was interested to find the eifs lamina torn and cracks and shadowing in the EIFS that match the CMU used in the stack. The fiberglass in the cracks looks like it was stretched and torn. I'm thinking quake movement and that's what I said in the report. Beautiful masonry fireplace and pristine flue with no signs of cracks from the inside but there is no question that with this kind of tearing of the EIFS that there was some kind of movement in the block of that stack.

With it clad in EIFS the stack is kind of a dice roller. It might be a simple fix that costs a couple of grand to fix or it might require major surgery - really no way to know without stripping that stuff off to see what's underneath.

Never a dull moment in this gig.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[kurt]

Mount a Rilem tube over the intersection of the head and bed joints, and see how much water flows in.

I'll bet a lot.

[Marc]

I don't get the telegraphing cracks unless that is actually DFS instead of EIFS.

Marc

[BADAIR]

no insulation would be

Direct Applied Exterior Finish System (DEFS)

never was or is a good finish for cmu

any movement will telegraph...i'm in high plasticity soil territory & all i inspect fail within the first year

most mfr limit usage & no longer recommend on any type weather exposed surfaces

[StevenT]

If there is no EPS, than it is not EIFS. It may be the same polymer base basecoat, mesh and finish coat used in EIFS, but without the EPS it is not EIFS. In which case the symptom seen is the cracking of the cmu(s).

If there is EPS, my thoughts are that the EPS is adhesivly attached to the cmu(s), and once again the symptom we see is the cracking of the cmu(s).