Policy Statements: EIFS with Drainage

June 12, 2017

EIFS with Drainage, the predominate type of EIFS installed today, are building code compliant cladding systems that incorporate an air/water-resistive barrier and flashing details to evacuate incidental moisture that may enter the wall cavity.

An EIFS with Drainage is a system as opposed to an assembly.

• A system is a set of products that are designed, tested, detailed and supported by a single manufacturer to perform a specific function.
• An assembly is a set of products from multiple manufacturers that collectively meet design requirements.

The performance of an EIFS with Drainage is highly dependent on the contributions of the various component materials that are incorporated into the system as designed and specified by the EIFS manufacturer. Changing one or more components of the system with alternate manufacturer components can change the system performance. This approach of changing components eliminates the system design in favor of an assembly approach. Assemblies, by their very nature, increase complexity and the burden on the design professional to ensure component compatibility, code compliance and, ultimately, the performance of the assembly.

EIMA EIFS manufacturer members support the use of their systems with:

• Specialized technical support with a deep knowledge of system design
• Architectural details specific to the wall system
• System testing for performance validation
• Third party building code compliance recognition System warranties

Mixing materials from different manufacturers in an EIFS whether they are believed to be equivalent or as an alternate design approach is inappropriate, as the integrity of the intended drainage system would be compromised. For example, the air/water-resistive barrier is an integral component of an EIFS with Drainage. Specifying water-resistive sheathings in lieu of the EIFS manufacturer’s required air/water-resistive barrier could negatively affect the performance of the system as designed and tested. It is the policy of EIMA manufacturer members that an EIFS with Drainage shall always be designed, supplied, supported and warranted by the EIFS manufacturer as a system.

For further information, please contact EIMA’s office at 1-800-594-3462.

The policies described in this document are intended to serve only as a guide. EIMA assumes no responsibility for the efficacy of its members' products and services, EIFS manufacturers' recommendations, as well as project specific design details and specifications, should be followed