Whether you are looking to buy, sell, or upgrade a new home you want to properly inspect the home or building. Especially the exterior, as this is what will protect your home from the elements. In addition, the protection that it provides can affect the cost of utilities in the future.
Swift Inspections has the best tools and the expertise to inspect your stucco or EIFS systems.
Do you have EIFS or stucco?
When you call for an exterior inspection of your home, we usually need to know if your building is Stucco or EIFS. Not surprising, most people won’t know the difference. But don’t feel bad; at a glance the two systems look very similar. Luckily there are a few simple tests you can perform yourself to figure out what system is used on the exterior of your home. Obviously these are not fool proof, but they can point you in the right direction. And if by the end of performing these tests you still don’t know, don’t worry, the Swift Stucco expert has your back and can sort it all out for you.
The knock test
Go outside and knock on your wall. Does it sound hollow? If so, you most likely have EIFS. But if it feels like you are knocking on a solid brick wall, there’s a good chance that you have hard-coat stucco.
The gap test
Near the foundation of your home, find the bottom edge of the cladding. If you have EIFS cladding, it should come out about ¾ of an inch away from the foundation, if not more. When using EIFS, the EPS board makes this system stick out farther from the foundation wall that the stucco system.
The penetration test
Remove fixtures that penetrate the Stucco or EIFS like light fixtures, gutter straps or doorbells. Once removed, do you spot a foam board? Chances are you have EIFS, Stucco systems do not use this element.
Swift Inspections for residential and commercial buildings, including also offers third party inspections throughout the state of Colorado, including Mountain Communities!
Call a Stucco and EIFS Specialist to Inspect the Exterior of Your Home
Now that you know what system you have, or you have an educated guess, it’s time to call in the professionals to inspect the exterior of your home. At Swift Inspections we are experts in all things stucco and EIFS and can quickly identify the problems that are affecting the integrity of your system, such as structural problems, mold, moisture, improper installation and more. If you are buying, selling, reconstructing or repairing your home or commercial building, call Swift Inspections Services to schedule an exterior inspection and avoid faulty workmanship and costly mistakes.