Stucco
Traditional Portland cement stucco provides a tough exterior that resists assault from weed whackers to woodpeckers. Its inherent toughness is beautifully complemented by the variety of colors and textures available.
Stucco is a commonly used material that is inherently strong to the touch and beautiful to look at, but difficult to repair properly. As such, it does absorb water to varying degrees. Once the reservoirs get wet, the stored water can migrate elsewhere and cause major problems. It is important to note that stucco, when installed correctly, is just as durable as any other cladding. A correct installation addresses the correct flashing details, Weather Resistant Barriers (WRB) and the installation of Field Fabricated Sill Pans to ensure a proper fit.
When we repair stucco during a remediation project, we adhere to the use of Engineered Solutions for Stucco, to include rain screen drainage mat underlayment program, including full window pan flashing and ventilation of the wall system. This allows for internal drying of any wind blown-rain event which may penetrate either through or behind the wall system itself. Systems of this type actually exceed current American standards, but research both here and in Canada has shown them to be equally effective in the elimination of future internal wall damage.
Unfortunately, most current remediation contractors will describe themselves as “experts”, but they are not true contractors who have been immersed in the art of stucco. Rather, they are self proclaimed specialists that know very little in multiple areas of expertise. They are unable to properly vent a drainage mat and implement the other critical details required to effectively remediate stucco. This may well go a long way to ascertaining as to why there is such a high failure rate for previously remediated stucco homes.
Successful stucco repair requires the skills and expertise of professional craftsmen combined with years of understanding how water damage works. You need craftsmen who not only understand this, but can address the underlying problems. It is only then that you can restore true beauty to the exterior of your home. With over 30 years of masonry experience in the area, and close to 15 years of experience in moisture intrusion and remediation repairs, Michael Gallagher, LLC knows what it takes to transform your specific project, exceeding your highest expectations. We understand that each project is unique, with its own set of problems that require individual solutions. The specialists at Michael Gallagher, LLC know how to repair stucco in any condition and any situation.
SOME LEADING CAUSES OF STUCCO FAILURE:
- Poorly installed stucco applied to the incorrect thickness
- Lack of expansion control joints to minimize cracking
- Missing weep screed at wall to foundation transitions
- Nonfunctioning or omitted kick-out diverters at roof to wall intersections
- Missing layers of weather resistant barrier (WRB)
- Improperly designed and ill-fitting exterior chimney caps
- Improper termination points at masonry to dissimilar material locations
- Improperly installed flashing around windows and doors
- Inadequately sized roofing components particularly at fireplace locations
- Inadequately sized gutters and downspouts