Dear EIFS Alliance web-master,

First and foremost, I would like to begin by saying that I do completely understand the anger displayed by problem homeowners with EIFS on their dwellings. I empathize with their position and their need to lash out and rally against the "bad guys". If I were in a similar situation, I would be looking for someone to blame as well.

What I do take issue with, however, is their seemingly boundless determination to utilize public forums to initiate and perpetuate unfounded claims, theories and litigation. It seems both obvious and reasonable that one would look at the problem of water intrusion as a whole construction issue, not simply (and conventionally limited to) a single wall cladding. To continually single out EIFS, without mentioning other exterior systems, is misleading, inaccurate and unfair.

I have seen, first hand, wood-sided houses suffering from moisture intrusion. Brick and other claddings have undergone similar problems, with far less fanfare. I have reviewed information, from an independent engineering study, on a sizable housing development in the Carolinas. A major manufactured siding material was utilized and the homes experienced significant moisture related damage, mirroring those found on some EIFS projects. What were the indisputable findings on this specific project and the other aforementioned examples? Any and all of the following: poor construction practices and/or poor details, such as inadequate or no flashing (kickout and other), lack of proper caulking, and/or leaky windows. The reasonable conclusion for each case, based on objective diagnostics, pointed away from the cladding being the culprit and toward the manner in which the homes were constructed.