I have been trying to find the source of water infiltration below a window on a south facing EIFS wall for a year. Water would puddle on the sill and the carpet would get damp ( not wet) on the right side. Thinking it was the window itself, I removed all of the trim and flashed(where there was none before) from the window frame to the stucco that would be concealed by the recommended caulk in the space between the new brick mold and the stucco trim detail. After the first few rains no water on the sill and no damp carpet. That was 6 months ago.
I got the call last week. No water on the sill, but the carpet was damp after two hard driving rains. I told him that if the window repair didn’t fix it ,then it must be coming through the dryvit. A waterproofing “specialist” told him that was impossible.
Help…Anybody got any ideas.
Thanks in advance
Replies
Synthetic stucco was the leading cause of water related wall failures in what was called the "Condo Crisis" here in BC. You don't see it being used here anymore.
Dryvit has a publication that goes over all the proper flashing for their product. Maybe you could get that and track down your leak from there. My BIL is looking at it for his house.
I'm thinking there isn't a way to let water out the bottom, so it is backing up inside.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
If your hair looks funny, it's because God likes to scratch his nuts. You nut, you.
Thanks,
I'll check out the dryvit website
Lots of possibilities.
Window itself allowing wind blown water in through weep holes, Roof leaks above the window and following framing, sealant separation where you repaired it recently.
I would be looking at the sealant or the window itself as the culprits.
If the wall had so much water in it so as to get the carpet wet I would think the drywall beneath the window would be also very wet.
And a lot of black gooey crude all over the insides of the wall.
The fake stucco is fine. It's how it's installed.
On my house, they had the gutters installed after the styrofoam phase, but before the EIPS was applied. The sly bastids simply coated up real nicely all around the end cap of an enclosed gutter (between two exterior walls). The new aspen trees down below as part of the landscape dumped a lot of leaves in the gutter after a few years, backing things up and acidifing the water. Which ate a hole in the end cap and ran into my wall.
About a $12,000 fix 5 years ago.
Bummer
Thanks for the input. I've thought the same about the drywall, but it always seems dry. I have been in the attic when its raining and no water. I am still looking at the window.
I bought the moisture control book that JCL published. It has a chapter on stucco that includes EIFS. I got it through Amazon for less than the JCL web site cost. It is an excellent buy.
I don't have the book with me today, but will look at that chapter agian tonight for you. I think what you are describing is the result of improper flashing and an improper drainage plane detailing.
If this has been going on for a while, I would expect the HO already has some rot/mold/mildew issue going on inside the wall and framing.
Be very very carefull that you don't get stuck with thoes repairs because you were the last guy to "fix it."
That is starting to sound like trouble. If you have the time to check, that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Greg
will do
Looking at that chapter, there were a couple of common problems with EIFS install.
The first one was not finishing the backwrapped edges on the foam. Most contractors wrapped the edges with the fiber mesh tape but failed to leave enough room to get finish on the edge, and water would wick into the board, then find its way into the wall cavity.
The second was butting the foam board to tightly against dissimilar material and not leaving the required caulk joint width. The joint width should be from 1/2 to 3/4 wide. The joint is then to be caulked after the installation of the proper size backer rod. Silicone caulk was recommended as was tooling the joint.
A third item that was common to all three types of stucco finish was window flashing improperly installed and the failure of manufactured multi unit windows that were factory mulled together.
The book goes into some very extensive remediation solutions. IMO it is well worth the $25 or so that Amazon charged. I don't do much remodeling or repair work anymore, but I've learned a lot in the two weeks I had the book. If I were younger and still out there hustling work, this book would be one of my bibles.
This stucco was installed 12 yrs ago. There has not been an elastomeric coating applied to it in that time. From the information that you have can you determine if moisture(rain) can migrate through the dryvit and be trapped in the wall cavity. I am assuming the window in question is sealed unless the water is going through the dryvit and traveling around the flashing that I installed. Thanks for the input.
Greg
From what I am reading, the foam can and will wick water at any point that is not properly sealed. Once water is behind the board the house wrap or barrier paper must be detailed correctly with the flashing details or the water will find its' way into the wall.
I'm just reading this stuff. I have no personel experience with EIFS other than maintaining caulk joints over the past 16 years.
Dave
Thank you so much for the research. It is at least possible that it is wicking through. I can r&d what to use to seal this one wall as an option.
Greg Davis
We used it here, IL, for years with out problem. BUT, my installer was a real stucco/plaster contractor and knew and understood the limitations of dryvit. As mentioned above, it's all in the attention to flashing, caulking, and any potential water infiltration details. There probably is little wrong with dryvit. The problem is the installers, many had no back ground with stucco and even it's limitations especially water infiltration. These guys took on dryvit with it's less demanding trade skill set and screwed it up for everyone.
It's been ruined for us in residential work, the installer liability insurance has killed dryvit.
It's been ruined for us in residential work, the installer liability insurance has killed dryvit
Yup, that is why I am looking at alternative sidings for my new home. $37K for a 2400sf house with a bunch of windows. Scares the h... out of me when I think of the potential problems.