When it comes to owning a stucco home in the Dallas – Fort Worth area, you may feel like it is nearly impossible to sustain any type of water damage to your home. Even with the 35 trillion gallons of rainfall that Texas sustained in May 2015, many stucco homeowner’s feel confident about their home’s water sealing.
And they may be right.
The problem is water damage to stucco can happen from other areas of your home, or our first cause…improperly installed stucco. Stucco that is improperly installed has flaws in it that can allow moisture behind the stucco and cause problems that aren’t even seen with a typical crack or other visible warning sign.
The second way stucco can sustain water damage is through its various systems that interact with the exterior stucco of the house. For example, roofing, gutters, balcony rails, and plumbing/electrical connections all need to be “meshed” in with the exterior of the home. These penetrations, or areas of vulnerability, can easily cause water leak issues if not properly installed.
In addition to poor construction/application of the homes stucco, and the weaving in of the other home’s systems, the third area of concern is around doors and windows. Doors and windows get used on a regular basis, and therefore have an increased chance of “movement,” allowing for separation of the wood behind the stucco and other vulnerabilities.
In the end, a thorough stucco inspection by a trained professional, utilizing a moisture test is your best bet when it comes to protecting yourself from water damage to your stucco.
