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Exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) earned a bad rap in the 1980s and ’90s due to the fact that water infiltration behind barrier EIFS (systems designed with no integral drainage) caused the panels to mold, buckle, delaminate, and rot. Manufacturers and builders were subjected to numerous lawsuits. Homeowners and their real estate agents swore off the idea of purchasing homes with EIFS, and the cladding’s bad reputation endured. That said, fast forward to today and you will find that EIFS is not only a superior cladding but it is also the fastest growing wall cladding systems in the US.

My Take: The EIFS industry has stepped up to the plate and made significant improvements in systems and materials over the past decade-and-a-half. The problem at this point is convincing the marketplace that they have, in fact, solved the problems. The bad taste left in everyone’s mouth from two decades of denials and litigation and failure still weighs on folks.

If you are a contractor or even a homeowner interested in the correct application of EIFS check out the videos below provided by Total Wall Inc. and come back for future videos.