Leaks can occur due to:
- Poor quality windows:
Windows sold today tend to be high quality, vinyl clad, or welded windows that are watertight (through the thickness of the wall section). At the other end of the equation, are the poorest type of unprimed, unmortised, glued together wood windows. They not only let water enter at the joints through the wall section, but regularly rot out within several years independent of the type of sheathing or wall system. - Decks:
Decks and other framed-on appendages to the main building are typically added onto the building after completion of the exterior walls. This framing is often not flashed or considered as a part of the main exterior wall. When decks are simply bolted through finished walls into the wall, water enters
vigorously. - Lack of or improper kickout flashings (where roof lines terminate into an EIFS wall):
This dumps roof run-off directly behind the cladding. - Sealant Problem:
No sealant, inadequate sealant, improperly applied sealant, old or failed sealant – at any and all penetrations through the cladding, such as doors, vents, plumbing lines, shutter hardware, light fixtures, etc., and at all transitions and terminations. - Improperly installed EIFS:
Examples are: no backwrapping, exposed mesh, inadequate base coat, flat horizontal EIFS surfaces. - Below grade EIFS:
Stucco terminated below grade-level allows water to wick-up into the wall. Building code changes in the past year or two now require termination eight inches above grade. After the EIFS was cut back, landscaping was added for a nice look. - Cracks or impact damage to the stucco