The first thing to know about EIFS home inspections is that a typical home inspector does not have enough product knowledge to properly inspect it. An experienced inspector who has a lot of product knowledge is a must. The inspector should also have some experience applying the product. In my opinion, you can’t learn everything there is to know just by reading a book and passing a test. Ideally, you should be a master craftsman in synthetic stucco and up-to-date on the latest insulation and exterior finish techniques and specifications.
The second thing to know is that inspection has many facets. The inspection will include much more than synthetic stucco. It will include any other product/material that touches it. The flashing, windows, caulking, etc. all will be examined to determine the effect they are having on the exterior insulation and finish system, if applicable. Other things such as grade and proper spacing will be noted.
Lastly, you should know that the inspection must include the use of moisture testing equipment. If an inspector comes to inspect your EIFS home and does not use any moisture testing equipment, then the main reason for the inspection is not found. Sure the new Exterior Insulation and Finish System application has a very good moisture drainage system, but previous versions of the product did not have any moisture drainage system and it is very important to test for moisture trapped behind the system. The best way to test for moisture behind the system is with a probe moisture tester. The procedure when using the probe tester is invasive, which is far from ideal because you are drilling holes through the stucco to measure the moisture content of the wood behind it. However, this is by far the best way to find moisture problems before ripping the wall. The holes made by the tester are small and actually resemble a vampire bite. These small holes are usually filled with putty after the test is complete. Sometimes a homeowner who is selling their house doesn’t want to put any holes in it no matter what, so in this case there is a surface scanner that is non-invasive. The problem with the surface scanner is that its depth range is about an inch and the product standard is over an inch and a half thick. The area would need to be saturating the foam by at least a half inch for the scanner to pick up an accurate moisture reading. It doesn’t do a good job of measuring the moisture content of real wood.