It May Be A Homeowner's

Worst Nightmare...

By Jim Messer, Partner

After years of scrimping and saving, your dream house is finally a reality. The grueling hours spent working with your architect to create that special place you'll call home have paid off. However, you may be unaware that your synthetic stucco, also known as External Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS), may be playing host to water invasion.

EIFS is applied by first gluing a polymer-based foam board to the exterior wood sheathing that is attached to the house's frame. Then a cement-like base coat is spread over the foam and a fiberglass wire meshing embedded within it. On top of that goes the finishing coat, which ultimately gives the house its stucco-like appearance and results in solid insulation.

Manufacturers of EIFS often tout this solid insulation as a beneficial characteristic of synthetic stucco. What they don't tell you is that evidence suggests this "special feature" may lead to rot, mildew, mold and termites and may be a leading cause of illness for you and your family.

The reason for this is water invades through windows, doors, cracks and missing caulk. Though water invasion is inevitable, traditional exteriors such as brick, stone and siding allow the water to drain down. This is not the case with EIFS.

Due to synthetic stucco's glued-on application, water is trapped behind it with no way to drain down. The consequence may be rotted structural wood that acts in a sponge-like manner causing the fiberglass wall insulation to absorb the trapped moisture. As time passes, mold spores form which may cause headaches, sinus problems, nasal congestion, and recurrent head colds for the residents of the home.

The home that was once regarded as a solid structure and a metaphor for stability is now extremely vulnerable to additional material breakdown. Bulging walls, delaminated cladding and surface cracks are not uncommon in "sick" homes.

If that isn't enough, evidence suggests that problematic homes show no symptoms until severe damage has occurred. There are minimal visual clues, though numerous synthetic stucco homes inspected and tested for moisture intrusion showed moisture readings of 75-90 percent.

Recently synthetic stucco has received a fair amount of press as numerous lawsuits have been filed throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and even New York. However, these cases just represent the tip of the iceberg. Synthetic stucco, once thought to be a limited problem, has grown to encompass a national scale.

Don't sit still while your house rots away. Take the proper steps and contact us at FLF&M. We can help.