Stucco Damage – What Causes it?

Stucco is an absolutely beautiful material for the exterior of any house. Versatile, able to be any color you want and with a timeless look, stucco homes are truly stunning. Unlike with more traditional siding options however, stucco is prone to certain types of damage. Knowing what can cause problems with your stucco could help you to prevent such issues from arising.

Here’s a quick guide to stucco damage and some tips on hopefully being able to prevent it.

Stucco & Moisture Damage

Moisture can be a major problem for stucco homes. Stucco is certainly able to withstand quite a lot in terms of the elements, but once moisture does find its way in via cracks or crevices, it could ultimately infiltrate your house’s walls. And this is not a good scenario. What are some of the primary causes of moisture damage as far as stucco goes:

• Greenery, bushes and plants too close to the home. Leaves and other such plant life can come in contact with the home’s exterior walls and essentially cause moisture to wick in. It’s always a good idea to keep any vegetation trimmed back so that it is not touching the stucco.
• Windows not properly sealed or flashed. If your windows weren’t installed the right way, you could potentially be looking at all sorts of moisture issues. Ensuring that your windows are carefully sealed and flashed as they should be is incredibly important when it comes to preventing stucco damage.
• Subterranean stucco. If there are sections of the stucco that are below ground or even too much in contact with the ground, this can contribute to the absorption of moisture and then cause issues for the entire house.

 

Stucco Damage: Understanding Cracks 

Cracks are perhaps one of the most common forms of stucco damage. A variety of circumstances and issues could lead to your stucco cracking:

• Where the exterior trim meets, if this is not done correctly, and the right tape not used for instance, you will eventually see cracks occur.
• Stucco in general when not applied correctly can be especially prone to cracking. And not only that, if each successive coat isn’t given enough time to cure and dry, you could certainly have future problems on your hands.
• Areas in which you experience vibrations whether from heavy equipment, the ground shifting or some such other situation, may result in cracks appearing in the stucco.

If you notice stucco damage whether from excessive moisture problems, cracking or even pieces falling out, you definitely want to contact a professional to help with getting your stucco repaired. We’ve been doing stucco now for years, and we know exactly how to address just about any stucco damage issue you can imagine.