What Is A Weep Screed

What is a weep screed you ask? Well, it is a piece of metal flashing that is set at the bottom of the exterior walls of your home. Its main job is to pull the moisture out of the walls and provide an outlet for it to drain out.

Is a weep screed necessary?

Weep screed is usually required for all buildings that have wood framing construction, especially if it is a new build. There are certain circumstances where an older building that did not have weep screed installed may be exempt from having weep screed installed when doing renovations due to aesthetics.

What is the purpose of weep screed?

Located at the framed wall and foundation joint, the weep screed provides an egress for water that has penetrated the exterior finish, weeping from the walls by gravity to the screed.

Where are weep screeds required?

Per Chapter 7 of the International Residential Code (IRC), a continuous weep screed is required to be installed at the bottom of exterior plaster (stucco) walls to allow moisture to escape.

Does stucco require weep screed?

Weep screeds are generally only used on walls constructed with wood framing, and are not required on stucco-coated masonry structures or when adhered stone is installed over masonry.

Can you pour concrete against stucco?

None. The concrete should slope away from home. If you have the option to go an inch down then fine so you don’t mess up the stucco while pouring.

What does stucco below grade mean?

Stucco Below Grade: What Does It Mean? In the case of stucco installation, “below grade” means that the stucco material was applied below where the home’s foundation meets the ground. If your home is on concrete, there should be at least 2 inches of space between the bottom of the stucco and the foundation.

Does EIFS need weep screed?

Moisture Drainage MD-EIFS PVC accessories are permitted but not required. Most systems have a weep screed (PVC starter track with weep holes), but not all systems.

Should stucco touch the ground?

When installing stucco, you should ensure that it never touches the ground, or in other words, is below-grade. There needs to be a minimum of four inches of space between the soil and the stucco for houses that rest on soil, but six to eight inches of space is recommended.

What happens if window weep holes are blocked?

Small holes located on the bottom edge of storm-window frames, weep holes are drains for your windows. If they become blocked by debris, paint or caulk and can’t serve this vital function, water can seep into the wood of the sill and cause it to rot. Check weep holes at least once a year, before the rainiest season.

What is a screed tool?

A flat board (screed board, floating screed) or a purpose-made aluminium tool used to smooth and to “true” materials like concrete, stucco and plaster after they have been placed on a surface or to assist in flattening; The material itself which has been flattened with a screed (screed coat).

Does stucco need flashing?

Though some contractors may try to install flashing on existing stucco, it really cannot be properly retrofitted. Certain parts of the flashing, such as counter flashing and EZ Bead, are installed prior to the stucco application and then patched back in after the installation is complete.

What is stucco wall?

Modern stucco is used as an exterior cement plaster wall covering. It is usually a mix of sand, Portland cement, lime and water, but may also consist of a proprietary mix of additives including fibers and synthetic acrylics that add strength and flexibility.

Can you raise a stucco house?

Exterior wall coverings such as stucco and brick veneer complicate the lifting process because they must either be removed or braced so that they will stay in place when the house is lifted.

Can you pour concrete against siding?

Concrete absorbs and holds water, and most siding and trim materials—including fiber cement—aren’t rated for contact with concrete. Just like concrete, fiber-cement trim can wick water, which can cause it to fail.

Can EIFS go below grade?

In most cases, EIFS systems and traditional stucco is installed below grade for aesthetic purposes.

How does stucco drain?

Some cracking is inevitable with any stucco, and moisture will penetrate through the cracks. When designed and installed properly over lath, this moisture settles on the external surface of the Code required weather-resistive barrier and ultimately, via gravity, drains down and out of the wall via a weep screed.

How can you tell if stucco is EIFS?

The easiest way to identify synthetic stucco (EIFS) is by touching the material with your bare hand. When you touch the wall where the stucco is installed, it will feel like plastic. You can also knock gently on the wall. If it sounds hollow and thin, you have EIFS on your home.

What is the most common type of EIFS?

The most common type of EIFS is the polymer based (PB) system. This system has a nominally 1/16 inch thick reinforced base coat applied to the insulation prior to application of the finish coat.

How does EIFS drain?

Some EIFS contractors use special corrugated or wrinkled sheathing papers to create the drainage space, while others have vertical grooves cut into the back face of the foam insulation. In all cases, the drainage plane leads to a perforated weep flashing at the foundation to drain away any trapped water.

Can you stucco over foundation?

Like I stated earlier, you can stucco over just about any type of surface, when it comes to foundations. You can also stucco over other materials like foam and cement board. Almost every type of substrate that you find on your foundation walls will require a base coat and a finish coat, for the best possible results.