EIFS weep screen covered

[David B. Alvares]

I see this all the time when a homeowner installs a concrete walk and it covers the bottom weep screen. I always call this out but my clients always ask how to correct this issue. Any ideas?

[Carl A. Brown]

Tear the concrete out,lower the grade, put it back with at least 2 inches of the ugly concrete showing below the stucco.

[Buck Hartley, CMI]

Why!!! There is nothing wrong with it.LOL. Just asked them!!

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Screed. Not "screen".

[Carl A. Brown]

At this point it really does not matter.

It is not seen and might not be there at all.

Who knows?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

How did you confirm that this is EIFS? It looks like a standard hardcoat stucco.

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

Exactly my thoughts, and not all EIFS has a weep screed either.

[Carl A. Brown]

EIFS does have a plastic starter/weep screed that can be used.

One coat stucco over Styrofoam some call it EIFS. And it is what it looks like either way it is wrong.

[Carl A. Brown]

http://amico-lath.com/products.htm

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Yes, it's obviously wrong, but I keep seeing these posts from guys in SoCal calling this stuff EIFS. In all my years, I've only seen EIFS once in CA and it was really noticeable.

EIFS is very uncommon in these parts, but I often see hardcoat stucco systems where only the window and door trim uses a single-coat stucco over Styrofoam.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

We are just opposite here Jeff. I never seen a hard stucco.Must have something to do with temperature.

Weep screed

Hard-coat installations start with the application of a “weep screed” at the bottom edge of all walls. This flashing, which is perforated at the bottom, defines the bottom edge of the stucco coats. It goes on first because it is lowest: The other papers will lap over it to begin the shingle style layering.
Weep screed is a standard item in markets where stucco is well established. In new markets, people may not have even heard of it. However, it is vital to the performance of the system. Rain will soak into any stucco coating; the water will head
downwards, and it must escape at the bottom. The weep screed lets water out through its perforations, and it stops the stucco from bonding to the cement foundation and
creating a dam where water might pool. The screed should span between the wood framing or sheathing and the concrete foundation, and it should terminate at least 8
inches above grade. Other flashing assemblies are acceptable. In some places we use a perforated J-channel above a Z-flashing for a bottom termination. The key principle is just that water
must be allowed to escape and must be directed away from the building.
A common mistake is to pour a slab, patio, or step after the stucco is applied, and to trap the weep screed and the bottom edge of the stucco between the slab and the house. This traps water in the stucco at the bottom and ponds it against the building paper, which will eventually let moisture through. Of course, if there are reverse laps in the paper and flashings above this point, the water will already be behind the paper and in contact with the wood. This scenario can quickly destroy sills, wall plates, and studs.

EIFS

Some EIFS systems here have a weeping system, but most are all done with a simple back wrap. Shown below.





Hope this helps some.

[Carl A. Brown]

Jeff,

If is thin one coat over foam if he would have checked a cover plate on the exterior it would most likely reveal that, I guess they have to call it something to keep getting people to buy it.

No real clue what makes them think it is EIFS

[Carl A. Brown]

And it is not even a stucco/EIFS problem

The flat work has a problem.

The siding is what it is and fine for what it is, after all the siding was there first.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Couldn't agree with you more.

[David B. Alvares]

Yes you are correct this is a hard-coat stucco systems. And the original application at the front of the house was correct I could feel the weep screen at the bottom there.

The funny thing is that I had an inspection today and again when they installed the new concrete it covered the weep screen. You can see in the second and third picture were there was once a planter bed because the weep screen dropped down lower in those areas (sorry not the best pictures). Nice stamp work but same problem.