INCA releases EWI maintenance guidance manual

INCA, the Insulated Render and Cladding Association, are delighted to announce the publication of the new External Wall Insulation Maintenance Guidance Manual.

This is designed to be adopted as best practice by the EWI industry as a whole and can therefore be downloaded and adopted by all involved in the industry.

A big thank you goes out to the INCA Technical Committee, SWIGA (the Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency) and EWI Consultants Ltd whose contributions are hugely appreciated.

The document itself is designed to provide important maintenance guidance and general advice to homeowner’s on how to look after their property once an external wall insulation system has been installed. It also provides general guidance to the home owner on what steps to follow should they experience any problems or where the installed EWI system becomes damaged.

The information is published for general guidance only and obviously INCA advise seeking advice from the system designer or installing contractor regarding any specific issues. INCA would expect that all areas highlighted in the document will be covered in system holders supporting maintenance guides.

The guide is aimed at homeowners who have either moved into a property which already had EWI installed of whos property has just been retrofitted and thermally upgraded with an external wall insulation system. We want it to be read and understood and as such we have kept it as short as possible and made sure it is written in clear and easy to understand sections.

There are 4 main sections to the guide:

Section 1: Living with external wall insulation systems

This section explains the basics of what an EWI system is, the benefits it delivers and how it can potentially change the way the homeowner lives. It also stresses the importance of care and maintenance.

Section 2: What the homeowner should know and do

The second section starts to drill down into checks, maintenance and care of an EWI system – covering the likes of inspections, ventilation, mastic seals, fixings, cleaning, weathering, cleaning along with specifics such as painting, the use of ladders, hot items, plants, soil, impact, vehicle emissions and general DIY.

Section 3: Making physical alterations to a property

This section addresses issues such as adding an extension, replacing windows, patios and decking, replacement fascias and utilities.

Section 4: Damage and what to do next

The final section explains what to do if the EWI system is damaged and how to protect a damaged area. It goes on to then stress the importance of getting the system repaired professionally.