Applicability of Fluid-Applied Air and Water-Resistive Barriers in Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems for Use in Other Cladding Systems

摘要

The exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) industry was the first to introduce fluid-applied air and water-resistive barriers in the 1990s. Fluid-applied air and water-resistive barrier membranes in EIFS have a successful track record of more than a decade. However, this track record is not necessarily transferrable when these products are used in other cladding systems. This paper provides a brief history of the development and use of fluid-applied air and water-resistive barriers in EIFS, identifies key differences between EIFS cladding and other cladding systems and the required performance characteristics of the air and water-resistive barrier membranes, and presents results from testing of commonly used fluid-applied air and water-resistive barriers (both membranes used in EIFS and those developed for use in other cladding systems) to evaluate these performance characteristics.