When stucco siding fails, if you don’t address it, you could compromise your biggest investment—your home.
Stucco is prone to developing cracks and holes in it that allow water to permeate and damage it. Small holes can turn into bigger ones, along with more moisture exposure and damage such as wood rot, and unhealthy mold and mildew.
If you’re wondering which solution is best for your stucco problems: repairing, remediating, or replacing stucco siding with something more durable, here are some facts to help you decide what the proper resolution is for your stucco:
What to Do When Your Stucco Is Failing
Stucco may fail due to a variety of factors:
- Poor door or windows installation that prevents adequate water run-off
- Flashing problems that impact water diversion and lead to stucco deterioration
- Broken seals on vents
- Poor deck installation without barrier membranes
- Trouble at the transition from stucco to other siding materials such as brick or stone
Do you see water leaking into your home at the ceiling, walls, or flooring? Does dry rot surround your windows? Do you smell mold in or around your home? When you see problems with your stucco like these—cracks and flakes, missing or chipped caulking, stucco tears or other discoloration around windows and doors—contact a reliable contractor to have your stucco inspected. Ask for their input on the best solution: repair or remediation.
Repairing Stucco Siding
Stucco repair works well with small, specific, isolated areas of stucco failure.
The problem with repairs is that if moisture penetrates the exterior surface of your stucco, it won’t matter how many times you repair the damage. It will keep coming back. But with remediation, the problem is solved at the root.
The cost of doing simple repairs may continuously postpone the inevitable remediation you need, and the longer you wait, the bigger the remediation job.
Stucco Remediation
Stucco remediation is the total repair and replacement of your entire wall system to fix underlying issues that caused your stucco damage.
The primary cause of stucco issues is moisture penetration between the outer layer of your stucco and the inner framework of your walls. The source of your problem lies in poor stucco installation, or the stucco is simply so old that it isn’t holding up any longer.
Stucco remediation is a much more in-depth intervention and requires a skilled team of experts (like our team at Distinctive Homes!) to perform it.
When Is it Best to Choose Remediation?
When damage to your stucco is widespread and is caused by a deeper issue, it’s time to remediate.
Benefits of Stucco Remediation
- The biggest benefit to stucco remediation is that it’s a permanent fix because it solves underlying issues that caused the damage.
- Remediation protects the rest of your home from problems because when stucco is damaged by water penetration, it’s a sign that interior structures of your home may also be impacted.
The Remediation Process
- Your stucco wall system is thoroughly checked to determine if there are underlying issues.
- In particular, the areas around your windows and doors are inspected for moisture intrusion.
- If no underlying issues are discovered, then a simple repair job may be all you need to fix your stucco damage.
- If underlying issues are found, remediation will begin by stripping away the stucco layers down to the base of your home’s exterior wall.
- Your home’s internal damage (such as mold and wood rot) will be properly repaired once outer layers of stucco are removed.
- Layers of stucco will be reapplied using modern materials and techniques, so you get a permanent solution to your stucco problems. Your home will be re-wrapped and resided, sealing it off from moisture.
- There should be no damage to your home exterior once stucco remediation is complete.
In conclusion:
- Repairs: Are you wondering when you should repair your stucco? Stucco repairs are for minor damage that doesn’t have an underlying cause.
- Remediation: Do you know when stucco remediation is the best solution? Remediation is for major or recurring damage caused by an underlying issue with the stucco installation.
- Replacement: If you’re ready for a change from stucco, are there any other options? Yes! James Hardie Siding replacement.
Siding Replacement
If you choose to replace your stucco with a different siding material, here’s a great solution: durable James Hardie fiber cement siding.
Known for its lasting beauty (up to 50 years) and ability to stand up to moisture intrusion and severe weather, Hardie siding delivers a great answer to your stucco problems. It can even mimic the look of stucco (minus the maintenance and repair needs). Fiber cement doesn’t harbor mold or mildew like stucco, and it comes ready to combat Pennsylvania weather 24/7.
Get Reliable Solutions for Your Home Exterior
Distinctive Homes is a trustworthy contractor that is ready to inspect your failed stucco and save your home through stucco remediation and siding replacement services.
We understand home construction from the ground up. We’ll fully remediate your stucco siding so your home will be well sealed and protected from the elements. We will replace your failing stucco with durable fiber cement siding so you can end your siding troubles once and for all.
To see our work, check out some of our current projects, and start envisioning your home today!