Stucco & EIFS Inspection
Inspections and Consulting Since 1997
Mission: Promoting excellence in construction by providing premier specialty inspection services for builders, owners, and real estate professionals.
What is a stucco/EIFS inspection?
A stucco or EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish System) inspection is a comprehensive inspection of the stucco or EIFS exterior cladding. It takes into consideration the installation methods used to apply the system as well as all the interfaces with dissimilar materials; such as other claddings (siding, brick, etc.), how the roof flashing or roof system interfaces with the exterior, how windows interface with the exterior, the stucco or EIFS proximity to finished grade, sprinkler head proximity to finished walls, balcony to wall intersections, or anything else that would cause the system to deteriorate or prevent it from functioning as intended.
What is the difference between stucco and EIFS?
Stucco and EIFS appear very similar although they are completely different assemblies. Stucco is an assembly of reinforcing metal and a cement-based material with a textured and colored finish. EIFS is a rigid insulation board either screwed or adhered to the structure and finished with a textured and colored stucco finish.
When would I need a stucco/EIFS inspection?
Stucco/EIFS inspection is appropriate prior to purchasing a home or can be performed as a diagnostic investigation when water intrusion is suspected. If you suspect water intrusion, you may see cracks in or white streaks on the stucco and/or water stains, particularly rusty colored water stains.
Interior damage may manifest as buckled floors, swollen baseboards, drywall cracks, peeling paint, separated baseboards or separated crown molding from the walls, ceilings, or floors. Inspection is recommended every 18-24 months as part of periodic maintenance of the stucco/EIFS system to ensure that it is still performing as intended.
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What can I expect from an inspection?
Stucco or EIFS inspection may be performed in one of two ways, either by visual inspection only or by a comprehensive two-part inspection that includes moisture analysis. The visual inspection consists of visually verifying how the system is installed (if possible) and determining whether the installation is consistent with acceptable industry practices, current requirements, or requirements in place at the time of construction of the house.
Furthermore, we look for indications of non-performance. The visual inspection includes photo-documentation of conditions present and visible at the time of inspection. A report is generated with the inspector’s findings and recommendations regarding potential problems. The second part of a comprehensive two-part inspection is the moisture analysis. Moisture analysis is an intrusive test which requires drilling into the stucco or EIFS and obtaining a moisture reading from the wood wall components behind the stucco.
Interior moisture probing may also be performed by using two pin-like probes to verify moisture content in drywall or interior wood trim such as window casings, baseboards, and crown molding. Interior probing is not performed on every inspection but may be performed if there are signs of damage and to further identify areas where drilling on the exterior might be necessary. Moisture readings obtained are plotted on photographs of the structure contained in the inspection report.
Is a stucco inspection included with a regular home inspection?
Stucco/EIFS inspection is a specialty inspection typically done after the routine real estate (TREC) inspection and as a result of something an inspector has seen or made note of. If we perform a routine TREC inspection, it will include an overview of the cladding but not a comprehensive inspection of the cladding. Should a comprehensive stucco/EIFS inspection be desired by the client, we can perform it along with the TREC inspection.
