7 Signs You Have a Stucco Leak

If you have a stucco home then you should know that having a leak in your  stucco is your the worst. In order to avoid having to deal with a costly stucco water intrusion disaster then you must be on alert for any warning signs of stucco problems. While stucco is a gorgeous and  original home siding material on the exterior, the interior stucco and the potential of improper installation can leave stucco susceptible to water intrusion.A crucial skill to have is being able to identify stucco problems so you can catch these problems early.

We have provided 7 signs to look for when it comes to water intrusion in stucco. We hope this helps you live comfortably and stress free in your home or helps makes the decision to go with a stucco home!

The Signs of Stucco Water Intrusion

When you’re searching for these warning signs, you want to look for obvious clues that water is  actually leaking through the stucco walls of your home.

• Damp looking stucco — After it rains it is obviously normal for the stucco to be wet, however if the stucco stays wet for about week after the rainstorm then that is not normal. If the stucco stays wet for roughly a week then that’s a sign that the stucco has a water intrusion. You also want topay close attention to spots on the wall that are constantly looking damp or discolored. You also want to be on the lookout for dark streaks that never disappear.
• Cracks in Stucco — This should be an obvious and clear sign. You want to look for any large and obvious cracks as well as small hairline ones. Now stucco cracks don’t always mean that there is damage, but it is usually a common sign of stucco moisture problems.
• Cracks and bubbles along the bottom edge of the wall — You may notice water leaking through the stucco walls and showing up along the bottom edge due to poor drainage systems. If you start to see dense cracks or odd bubbles, then you’re looking at the signs of stucco damage.
• Window caulk gapping or cracking — The caulking around the windows are common places for stucco water intrusion. A good place to look for any signs of damage is the windows. If you spot any damage here then you might have to have your windows replaced as well.
• Missing chips and chunks of stucco — Any surface damage to the stucco is a clear sign that there is some type of water damage underneath. If you start to notice that the stucco is tearing or breaking off, then it is worth calling an expert to come out and investigate the issue further.
• Inside of drywall below the window feels soft — this is when you start to look inside your house for a stucco leak. You want to physically feel the drywall. If the drywall is feeling soft to the touch, then that’s a sign that there is moisture weakening your walls from the outside in!
• Moisture on the basement walls — Now there are a lot of reasons for water infiltrating your basement, so it isn’t always caused by leaking stucco. Now just because it might not be because of th stucco doesn’t mean that this is a good or thing to overlook. We do consider this a more secondary sign to back up the other warnings.
  

Now the worst possible scenario is when stucco walls leak but didn’t show any signs beforehand. This is because all of the moisture is being absorbed. So truly, the only way to ensure your stucco is safe is to schedule professional stucco leak detection.

Reasons for Stucco Problems

Stucco not only looks fantastic, but can perform fantastic when it is done correctly. If you have any moisture-based stucco problems then the main is usually a result from these issues:

• Poor Sealing — Sealing stucco around windows and doors is a vital step to keeping it strong. Neglecting this or using inferior sealant can lead to moisture damage.
• Improperly Installed Stucco — An inexperienced contractor missing steps or cutting corners can be a huge problem. Sadly a lot of exterior contractors  say they do stucco but don’t really have the experience to do it right.
• Poorly Made Stucco — Building materials are meant to repel moisture, but if it’s made poorly, stucco absorbs the water instead.
• Insufficient Stucco Drainage — When properly installing stucco, a drainage system is added at the bottom of the walls. If this system is done incorrectly then the water will not drain properly and instead will penetrate the walls.

Danger of Ignoring Stucco Problems

Like we said, people always wonder if it is a risk to buy a stucco home. The big risk when deciding to go stucco is to ignore the warning signs of stucco problems. Just like any home problem, it won’t fix itself or go away on its own. If these problems are left alone, it can start to destroy whole sections of your house.

If you choose to ignore water leaking through the walls, then here are some risks you might face:

• If you leave the stucco leaks alone, it’ll be harder to sell your house.It will be very unlikely that a buyer will take on a house with stucco damage and to be willing to pay for the repairs on their own. It could make it harder to sell the home or bring the price of the house down if the repairs are left to the new owners.
• This could lead you to deal with an out-of-control mold infestation. The interior of the dark and damp stucco walls will become a breeding ground for nasty mold. Have to deal and pay for this level of repair and mold remediation can cost five times more than the initial repair.
• The whole house can actually rot from the outside inward. If it were to get this bad then you would actually need to completely rebuild the exterior of your house. While stucco repairs can seem like a pricey thing, it is nothing compared to having to rebuild the entire home.