Whether a homeowner secures a stucco inspection because they purchased a new home or had a stucco inspection on their personal home, the results can be quite shocking.
Fire is destructive. Smoke is destructive. Water is even more destructive and once inside of the wall cavity, it not only promotes rotting of the substrate, framing and potentially, the structural support of a home, but it can also cause biological issues such as mold.
Sealants around windows, doors and penetrations are always a quick and easy repair and are visible and easily seen. The more difficult repairs are the ones that are under the stucco. Specifically, the wooden substrate, the wood framing, and the wooden structural support require extensive demolition and carpentry work. This means that the stucco must come off to conduct the necessary repairs underneath.
We receive 600 to 700 invasive stucco inspection reports each year which also means that we supply 600 to 700 repair proposals every year. Repair proposals scopes of work range from as simple as a sealant project only all the way to complete removal and replacement of the stucco cladding. It is surprising that a large percentage of homeowners we see simply choose not to perform the necessary repair work. It is not uncommon to receive a phone call one, two or even three years later to see if the repair proposal is still valid – which it is not unfortunately. It is extremely important, as a homeowner, to understand that when water has created damage under the stucco, it will not resolve itself without remediation.
To better understand the last statement, it is important to understand how walls are constructed. The home is framed with wood framing members. There is sheathing that will be installed over the framing. It will be plywood or OSB material. A weather barrier such as Tyvek may be installed to protect the sheathing material. This material is installed directly over the sheathing. The first part of the stucco components will be metal lath. Most people call it “chicken wire” but it is much more stable than chicken wire. It is stapled into the sheathing using a very large, pneumatically shot, staple. This is what holds the “cement” or stucco to the wall. There will be two stages of stucco installation and then a final texture and/or color coat.
With that initial installation phase described above, we move to focus on the metal lath that is attached to the sheathing. When that wood gets wet, it will swell. This will cause the metal lath to move thus causing the stucco to crack. When the wood becomes so wet that it begins to deteriorate, there is nothing left to hold the lath in place. Thus, causing larger cracks. These cracks may then be large enough to allow even more water in. The process will continue, and the problem will grow exponentially.
When an invasive inspection reflects damage under the stucco, no matter how big or small the problem may be, the most cost-effective repair is the one that we complete for the homeowner sooner than later.