Ideally, a house with stucco can be visually appealing. Several homeowners want their homes covered with it due to its essential benefits. It’s made from top-notch quality raw materials, making it last for a longer period. Apart from durability, it has an excellent ability to hide imperfections and is perfectly equipped with thermo-regulating properties. It means a house clad with stucco will stay warm during the colder months and cool during the warmer months.
However, despite the mentioned benefits, stucco is more prone to water damage, which can come in different parts of the stucco system. For one, bumps appearing on the surface can be one of the early signs of water damage. But whatever the signs are, it’s essential to deal with the water damage as quickly as possible. Otherwise, molds grow behind the stucco and deteriorate your home.
To handle stucco water damage, below are the four causes and solutions you need to know from the get-go:
Cracks
spource: stucco.com
One of the common causes of water damage is stress cracks in stucco. These usually happen due to several factors, such as strong winds, earthquakes, and expansion. For example, if your home moves or shifts due to earthquakes or strong winds, the force or impact may likely cause cracks in the stucco. As a result, water can seep through the cracks and cause significant water damage.
To fix this problem, you may need to work with an experienced water damage restoration and repair team who can install a high-quality coating system to boost your stucco without compromising its beauty. This team of experts can evaluate all the parts of the stucco system and apply the necessary coat to repair the cracks.
Thus, if you’re looking for the right water damage repair company, you can browse some resources like the Moisture Master Pros website and other similar platforms to get more information.
Faulty Stucco Installation
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Regardless of how top-notch stucco quality is, water damage is still likely to happen if it’s not installed correctly. In most cases, faulty stucco installation occurs when there’s a break in the three-coat application of stucco to your home. These three coats include a scratch coat, brown coat, and finish coat. Also, improper installation occurs when the stucco is installed directly on the wooden lath. When this happens, the stucco is more likely to separate, leading to moisture infiltration and water damage.
Hence, to address the water damage caused by faulty stucco installation, you need to work with professionals to correct the problem. Depending on the extent of the problem, they might have to replace the old stucco with new ones. This time, the professionals will apply the three coats and allow adequate drying time between coats to ensure a more durable installation. They’ll also ensure that the stucco isn’t directly installed on wooden laths. Instead, they may consider using gutters to keep the moisture away.
Improper Flashing
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Another cause of stucco water damage is improper flashing installation. Generally, flashing is used to safeguard stucco from water leaks. If it’s installed improperly, it may get damaged. When this happens, water can seep through, causing water damage to your stucco, which affects your home’s appearance.
To correct this issue, you may need to examine the flashing and determine whether it needs repair or replacement. If the original flashing is still in good working condition, you may reuse and seal it to prevent water from seeping in. However, if the flashing is damaged, you may hire professionals to replace the old with new ones. With them by your side, you can guarantee that the installation will be done well to avoid the risk of stucco water damage.
Incorrect Stucco Mixture
source: certapro.com
Generally, stucco is a type of material made from a mixture of sand, water, and Portland cement. However, the combination should be balanced to ensure the durability and strength of the material will not suffer. When the stucco mixture installed in your home isn’t correct, it’s not durable enough to prevent water from seeping through. In that case, water damage is also more likely to happen.
Thus, hiring a professional stucco installation company may be the best option to resolve this problem. Unless you’re an expert in the stucco industry, you need experienced people who know the proper stucco composition. If the original material isn’t durable enough to handle earthquakes, strong winds, and other factors, it’s best to replace it with the correctly mixed stucco. That way, you can prevent water damage in the long run.
Conclusion
source: stuccoboy.com
Dealing with stucco water damage can be complicated if you don’t know the causes. However, knowing the causes of this problem is crucial to figuring out the proper ways to fix it. By keeping the information mentioned above in mind, you’ll be aware of the common causes of stucco water damage and how to address them more effectively.
