What is an exterior finish system?
An Exterior Insulation Finishing System (EIFS), also known as EWI (Exterior Wall Insulation Systems) or External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) is a type of cladding system that provides exterior walls with an insulated finished surface and waterproofing in an integrated composite material system.
What is an EIFS wall system?
Exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) is a general class of non-load bearing building cladding systems that provides exterior walls with an insulated, water-resistant, finished surface in an integrated composite material system.
Why is EIFS used?
Synthetic stucco is different from traditional stucco and is also known as Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS). This style of stucco was created in Europe years ago since it provided more building flexibility and enhanced waterproofing.
How thick is an EIFS system?
The total thickness of EIFS “Lamina” is generally 1/16” to 1/8” but can be thicker in areas of high-impact, by using high impact resistant mesh. Similar to stucco it is important to follow a proper design by a registered design professional or the EIFS manufacturer.
Which is better EIFS or stucco?
The fiberglass layer provides more durability, even against hard blows from weather. EIFS is notably lighter than traditional stucco, however. It is 80-percent less heavy than stucco, but it has a higher R-value, coming in between 4 and 5.6, which is notably higher than the 0.20 R-value of regular stucco.
How do you tell if your house is EIFS?
The easiest way to identify synthetic stucco (EIFS) is by touching the material with your bare hand. When you touch the wall where the stucco is installed, it will feel like plastic. You can also knock gently on the wall. If it sounds hollow and thin, you have EIFS on your home.
What is an exterior insulation and finish system?
An Exterior Insulation and Finish System ( a.k.a. Sythetic Stucco) is an exterior wall-cladding system comprised of insulation boards attached to a substrate, covered with a reinforced base coat, and a textured protective finish coat.
What is the thermal performance of the exterior insulation?
The thermal performance of the exterior insulation is based on the thickness of the insulation selected. The insulation should never be installed or modified to less than 3/4 inch in thickness.
Can EIFS be used as a primary cladding system?
Although owners like it because it is the least expensive of all EIFS assemblies, we would not recom-mend it as a primary cladding system. Barrier EIFS (‘Classic’ EIFS) – Barrier EIFS systems are the most basic of EIFS assemblies and do not incorporate any back-up systems or redundancy.
What is EIFS (external wall insulation system)?
In Europe, systems similar to EIFS are known as External Wall Insulation System (EWIS) and External Thermal Insulation Cladding System (ETICS). EIFS has been in use since the 1960s in North America, first on masonry buildings, but since the 1990s the majority on wood framed buildings.