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6. MOISTURE TESTING - Contact a company that performs moisture intrusion tests to examine your house. You can check out the other related links portion of the web page for companies that perform this service. Very roughly speaking, this service costs between $500 and $1,500. The moisture intrusion company will probe your house for elevated moisture. The probing is typically performed with either a Delmhorst or Protimeter moisture meter. This type of invasive testing meter measures the percentage moisture in the wood behind the stucco. The two probes of the meter are inserted through the EIFS to the wood substrate. The probes are small and the only damage done to the EIFS are the two small 1/8" probe holes at each probing location. The probe holes are then sealed with caulking after the probing. Some companies have more sophisticated probing devices that are non-invasive, but this type of testing alone is inadequate. The best inspection firms use both the non-invasive wet wall detectors and the invasive probe testing. Ask the inspection firm about their testing equipment.
MOISTURE READINGS - The probe moisture readings are typically taken around the structure underneath windows, around doors and decks, at roof eaves, etc. The company will generate a report that details the installation, probe locations, and elevated moisture areas. Moisture readings of 20% or higher are referred to as "elevated" and are evidence of EIFS system failure. Readings of greater than 30% are severe, and indicate major water entry with perfect conditions for mold, rot, and damage. Elevated readings over 50% indicate severe water entry and usually identify areas where stained and rotting is damaging the sheathing underneath the EIFS. Further probing should be done to identify the scope of the water entry damage. If the report indicates elevated readings, you should promptly consider your options with how to deal with the water entry issues and resulting damage. Delaying the investigation and resulting repair work only delays and increases the amount of damage to the structure of the home. Early identification of EIFS water entry issues is key to maintaining the integrity of the structure.
Taking a moisture reading
PLEASE NOTE: Moisture readings over 30% do not mean anything other than the wood is wet. There is little difference between a pegged meter reading of 99.9% and a reading of 42.7%. Both readings indicate there is current water saturation, and one is not necessarily worse than the other. This is a limitation of the meter technology, yet most owners do not realize that a reading of 31% is just as bad as 97.6%. 97.6% obviously sounds more dramatic, but homeowners should not be swayed by the dramatically higher number.
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I found this great EIFS legal website called the "EIFS Legal Network" at 
