Boston Home Inspection, Inc.

Boston Home Inspection™ offers both our residential and commercial Clients a full range of EIFS and Stucco Inspections. We are Certified as Moisture Analyst for the Moisture Warranty Corporation's Moisture-Free Warranty Program. We are also Certified by the Exterior Design Institute (EDI) as Third Party EIFS Inspectors. Exterior Design Institute is a non-profit organization that trains and certifies inspectors to raise the quality of EIFS inspections in the construction industry. For more information on EDI, click on the following link:

EIFS stands for Exterior Insulated Finish Systems. It is also known as synthetic Stucco. EIFS first was imported to the United States in the late '60's. In the last few years there has been a lot of excitement over this system and its documented failure as a siding system. There have been many reasons given for this failure, but almost every one can be traced back to faulty installation.

EIFS come in several different types. But the typical installation includes the substrate (usually plywood or OSB), polystyrene foam board fastened or glued to the substrate, fiberglass reinforcement mesh, base coat (usually 1/16 to 1/4 inches thick and then a finish coast.
Stucco on the other hand is plaster Portland cement. The Stucco assembly usually includes a substrate over the framing members (there is a 'open framing' system) with a moisture barrier present, self furring lath, plaster cement basecoat and finally the hard coat finish.

Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. However, it is the EIFS that has had the most problems. Following is some important information for you about EIFS and its problems.

The simple answer is 'Yes'. EIFS has problems just about any place that it has been used in home construction in the United States. The problem is usually improper installation and lack of proper detailing and sealing the EIFS. When the applicators do not know or do not follow the proper procedure for applying EIFS, the result is water intrusion which can lead to the failure of the system. If problems are identified and remedied quickly, damage and costs can usually be limited. A thorough and complete inspection and actual moisture testing are very important in identifying any areas of moisture intrusion.

There are very few signs. This is why inspection and testing are so important. Some of the signs you may want to look for are bulging EIFS, water stains on the outside or inside of the wall or around the window.

We first do a walk around visual inspection of your home or building to determine if the EIFS has been installed per industry standards. An exterior receptacle cover or a light fixture is removed to allow me to view a cross-section of the cladding system. I can often determine the manufacturer of the EIFS system (Sto, Dryvit, BASF, Pleko, Parexlahabra, Synergy, Bonsal, etc.) by viewing the fiberglass mesh inside. The wood framing and any visible substrate is inspected from the attic and the basement or crawlspace when accessible. We then perform non-invasive moisture testing or scanning at the surface to determine where any moisture intrusion is occurring. We will then probe any suspect elevated moisture levels through the finish coat to determine the actualmoisture level of the wood framing and to try and determine the amount of damage to the wood, if any. Our reports will include detailed photos of the affected areas and descriptions of the areas that are in need of repair or further invasive testing.

The answer is usually no. Probe holes are about the size of a pencil lead (1/8 inch). The number of holes needed is determined by where we find moisture and how large of an area we find moisture in. After we are done testing, sealant is used to fill and seal each of the holes (we do our best to match the color on the exterior of the home). Usually after we are done, people cannot find our holes unless they know the exact spot to look.

The cost varies from home to home depending upon the square footage the home, how much EIFS there is on the home and the extent and complexity of the EIFS. The average EIFS inspection runs $350 to $700. The cost of our inspections is a real bargain when realizing that replacing the EIFS and wall structure of a home may run into the tens of thousands of dollars if the moisture intrusion is ignored. Which would you rather have, a $600 report detailing the moisture intrusion that gives you the information to get repairs initiated or a $200 report that tells you little or nothing about your system?

Unlike many other so called EIFS inspectors in the area, I do not make repairs myself and we are not affiliated with any repair company. These types of inspectors can overstate problems with your EIFS so that the repair bill can be inflated.

Our Clients that have used our inspection services on their non-EIFS homes know how thorough and professional we are. We bring that same type of professionalism and thoroughness into the EIFS field also. If you are serious about finding out if your have moisture problems, give me a call today and I will be happy to discuss your home with you.

EIFS Alliance - The EIFS Alliance is non-commercial in nature and strives to put forth balanced information on the EIFS industry.