Stucco Inspections
How do we inspect stucco?
During a general home inspection, our home inspectors visually inspect stucco and note any visible defects present. For an additional fee, our company can perform a more thorough and invasive stucco and moisture test. Our EDI Certified Inspectors look for hidden moisture using the Tramex wet wall detector and infrared cameras. In most cases, especially when dealing with EIFS. a deep wall probing device is used to help evaluate the true moisture condition of the stucco. The moisture meter uses two narrow probes that require holes about a 1/4 inch in size. After testing, the holes are filled with a professional sealant that closely matches the color of the stucco. Because of the texture of the material, the patches are generally not visible. A detailed report is included with our stucco and moisture testing.
Synthetic Stucco
There are many differences between genuine and synthetic stucco. Prior to the 1950s, genuine stucco was used almost exclusively to side houses. Synthetic stucco became widely used after that period due to its lower cost. However, synthetic stucco can sometimes present many problems. For instance, it may not hold up as well to severe or wet weather as genuine stucco. Although it may be difficult to tell with the naked eye the difference between genuine and synthetic stucco, all it may take is a heavy blow or intense wind to show the inferiority of the product. If you have a stucco home that was built after the 1950s, it's a good idea to get a professional stucco inspection done to assess the quality of the synthetic stucco and identify whether there are any potential issues with the siding material.
Hardcoat Stucco
Hardcoat Stucco is a mortar mixture used for siding. It can be made by mixing sand and lime with water and various other ingredients, most often cement. Usually, wooden walls are covered with tar paper and chicken wire or galvanized metal screening. This framework is then covered with the stucco mixture. Sometimes, the mixture is applied directly to specially prepared masonry surfaces. Although stucco-sided homes became popular in twentieth century America, the concept of using stucco mixtures in architecture goes back to ancient times. Wall frescoes by ancient Greeks and Romans were painted on fine-grained hard plaster surfaces made of gypsum, marble dust, and glue.