Benefits of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS)
EIFS has witnessed growing popularity among architects and homeowners primarily due to its superior energy efficiency and endless design options. EIFS has also become widely popular for renovation works as increasing energy costs around the world have prompted homeowners to renovate their old homes to offer better energy efficiency. EIFS acts as a blanket wrapped over a building by insulating it from the outside, thus providing superior thermal insulation and reduced energy costs. Compared to traditional insulating systems, EIFS allows complete insulation of the building. In addition to these obvious energy saving benefits, EIFS is an excellent choice for people looking for durability. There are other advantages of EIFS as well, which makes it a popular choice among homeowners as well as architects.
The experts at Zero Defects who have years of experience in working with EIFS systems have listed the following benefits of EIFS systems
Condensation Reduction
EIFS has been shown to consistently outperform traditional siding options like brick, stucco, fiberboard etc. when it comes to moisture control. Traditional cladding options have thermal sidings which allow heat to flow, thereby causing condensation when the cold outside air meets the warm air of the interiors. This condensation results in moisture which can inflict damage on the cladding. Since EIFS acts as an insulating blanket over the whole building, there are no thermal sidings which allow condensation to take place.
Breathability
EIFS offers excellent breathability to structures when complemented by an appropriate choice of finish. Breathability is important for exterior walls to prevent the buildup of moisture through condensation.
Space Saving
Today, the quality and value of living places depend on the interior floor space offered by the building. While interior insulation options take up a significant portion of this valuable interior floor space, exterior insulation systems like EIFS do not affect the interior living space in any way, thus providing optimum insulation along with significant space savings.
Thermal Efficiency
EIFS offers a host of thermal efficiency options as it can accommodate any u-value requirements. Other forms of insulation, primarily, interior insulation and cavity insulation do not offer the same benefits as space is a major constraint. For interior insulation, the thermal efficiency has to be restricted at a certain point due to the reduction in the interior floor space, which is a major constraint. Cavity wall insulation, on the other hand is restricted by the size of the cavity which is also not enough to provide adequate thermal efficiency.
Thermal Mass Utilisation
One of the most important characteristics of EIFS which allows it to have such high thermal efficiency is its thermal mass utilization capacity. In an exterior insulation system like EIFS, the wall mass of the whole structure acts like a heat storage by capturing the heat that is used to cool/heat the interiors. This heat again comes into the play when it radiates back into the structure, thereby allowing it to maintain its desired temperature. Interior insulation does not offer this benefit which results in more energy wastage in trying to maintain the ideal temperature inside the building.
3-in-1 System
EIFS systems offer the benefits of a 3 tier system encompassed into one. Along with providing insulation to the building, EIFS also offers the benefits of a plastering/layering system as well as offering virtually unlimited design options.
Convenience in Use
EIFS also doesn’t falter when it comes to convenience; offering homeowners and architects the option of renovating a building while people are still living inside it. Since EIFS is an exterior system, it doesn’t hinder the lives of people living inside the building. With all other interior insulation systems, there is a significant disruption to the lives of the people living in the house.
Endless Design Options
One of the major advantages of using an EIFS system is the endless number of design options afforded by the system. EIFS comes in a variety of textures and in every color that you can imagine, thus offering the architect/workman almost endless number of choices with which to express their talent and creativity. Along with offering numerous options when it comes to color and texture, EIFS also offers the flexibility of being shaped into almost any design or form. This allows a homeowner or an architect to literally translate their dream designs into reality.
Zero Defects offer a host of EIFS solutions which offers exceptional aesthetic appeal, minimal maintenance requirements and high durability.
Get in touch with the team at Zero Defects today to schedule your no-obligation consultation or book your EIFS project with us. Contact us to learn more or to Request a Free Estimate.
