By Kenny Cloutier
In the battle of rain caused by El Niño versus the stucco on your home, who do you think will win?
Rain has never been synonymous with Southern California. But with recent reports of the worst El Niño in history, homeowners are asking, “Is my Stucco Waterproof?”
So what does a small crack, large hole, and damaged stucco have in common?
The answer is all three of these can be sources of water intrusion into the framing of your home. The possibility of water leaking in through stucco and damaging the wood framing of your homes is highly likely if you have leaks coming from large holes in your stucco walls, small cracks in the stucco around doors or windows, and especially in areas where the stucco has been damaged. If water gets behind the stucco and can’t get out the wood sheathing behind the stucco starts to rot. The rot is fungus running into the wood framing of the house causing Algae, greenish black stains under the windows, often referred to as “stucco tears”. To see an example of one homeowner’s nightmare, see this report entitled Hidden Damage in Stucco Homes by Jim Donovan of CBS 3 News in Philadelphia by clicking here.
Although we live in Southern California and we rarely see rain, it doesn’t meant the rain from past storms hasn’t already started to cause damage to your home. We recommend doing a quick inspection of your home. If you see anything like the photos below, you may have some cause for concern.
A common misconception is that the stucco itself is waterproof and will prevent any water from getting to the wood underneath. This is very far from the truth. Stucco is a porous material and is engineered to accept and expel water.
The waterproofing element for stucco work takes places during the first steps of stucco installation. Therefore, the first steps in the stucco process include waterproofing and lath.
Waterproofing is the process in which the studs or shear wall are wrapped with an asphalt coated waterproofing paper. The waterproofing paper, typically 60-minute paper, is installed in an overlapping fashion to create a natural flow for any water that comes in contact with it.
The lath process includes the stapling, or nailing, of a wire mesh (like chicken wire) on top of the 60-minute paper, into the studs. Any area where a nail or staple penetrates the paper is caulked using an exterior grade sealant (caulking). The lath wire is installed so the scratch coat (first coat in stucco) has something to grab onto.
Now that you know when waterproofing happens in the stucco process, lets talk about how you can prevent any water damage in your stucco.
Small cracks, for the most part, tend to be more cosmetic than anything. Cracking in stucco is very common and accepted as a norm. However, some small cracks, especially the ones at the upper corners of doors and windows may be sites of possible water intrusion. Although the cracks are small, they may be completely through all layers of stucco and finish at the lath/60-minute paper. If this is the case, there is an opportunity for water to find its way in and pool/remain stagnant against the waterproofing paper. This may lead to failure of the paper which can cause the water to get into the framing of the house.
Large holes and stucco damage are high risk areas for water intrusion. If there is a hole through the stucco and all of its layers, then there will definitely be a great opportunity for water to start ruining the framing underneath. This type of damage needs to be repaired by a professional.
With heavy rain coming due to El Niño this winter, now is the best time to have your cracks and damaged stucco repaired. For a free estimate or inspection, please call Stucco Boy at 1-877-410-3408 to set up an appointment today!
Stucco Boy is a division of builder Boy, Inc. Stucco Boy has been servicing Southern California home owners in the greater Los Angeles and Orange County area for over 20 years. We are regarded as the leader in Stucco application and repairs. Stucco Boy is recognized as the best stucco company and general contractor for home improvement projects. We also offer interior/exterior painting services, stucco, kitchen and bath remodel, custom cabinets, cabinet refinishing, cabinet refacing, interlock paving systems, stone walkways, concrete driveways, custom barbecue islands, custom fire pits, room additions, and storage solutions.
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