EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems) is a type of building product, first commercially used in Germany as a means to add exterior insulation to existing concrete buildings, originally constructed without any insulation. The systems combined excellent insulating ratings and a decorative finish at minimal costs and required little craft capability to install. It was not used or installed for its waterproofing capability. EIFS, also called “synthetic stucco,” became very popular in the United States during the energy crisis of the 1970s.
The original systems included an insulation board, base coat, fiber mesh reinforcing, and a decorative finish coat of polymer-modified coatings. Little emphasis was placed on termination and transition detailing, although designers expected the product to provide a complete barrier envelope waterproofing system. While the product’s original emphasis was on insulating and decorative capability, it soon became a standalone cladding system in all types of structures. Building owners loved the cost-effectiveness of the product and reinforced this acceptance.
Leakage problems have become commonplace on many EIFS structures, causing structural damage to associated substrates and envelope components. In turn, building owners and property managers have become inundated with complaints from disgruntled tenants whose offices experience water infiltration issues. These problems are mostly due to defective, improperly installed or damaged EIFS.
