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- - Welcome to my Market Ready Program for Stucco Houses! I am an expert at listing and selling stucco houses. Read on and find out how I can help you get your stucco house ready to sell. - -
Problems associated with Hardcoat STUCCO and EIFS include water damage and insect damage but not for the reasons you may suspect. There are certain preventative maintenance measures, such as flashing, that should be applied to certain areas of the roof and to certain areas of the windows and doors that will protect the Stucco and the underlying wood from water. Over a period of just a few years or even less (depending on the conditions), window frames, door frames, and even wall frames will rot and deteriorate heavily, which seriously compromises the structural integrity of a home.
Remember! Stucco veneer is a system! Stucco systems must: Have proper kickouts and flashings. Have ground clearance. Have properly flashed decks. Have all penetrations, transition joints, and trim completely sealed with dow corning 795 sealant. (or equivalent) Have proper flashing and sealants around windows and doors. Have clean, properly installed gutters. Be inspected annually.
The Facts About EIFS General * Interior wall damage and the infestation of termites are a clear and present hazard to some EIFS and Stucco homes. * Properly installed EIFS or Stucco are durable, aesthetically pleasing and low maintenance exterior claddings. * Homeowners and others are often misled about associated problems. EIFS are not fundamentally flawed products. * Associated problems are most often hidden from the untrained eye until severe damage has occurred. * Different EIFS and Stucco type installations appear the same to the untrained observer. Damaging moisture intrusion is most often the result of missing or improper installation of flashing. * Determining the amount of moisture in the wall components is of little value in determining the reason water is present. * Damaging amounts of moisture can enter and collect behind most EIFS and Stucco cladding types. * Moisture detection and measurement is conducted on the materials behind or adjacent to the EIFS, not the cladding itself. * The absence of negative moisture findings at any given time means little in the overall projected performance analysis.
Moisture Damage * Water entry through the surface of an EIFS is rarely observed. * EIFS are virtually waterproof. Moisture enters around the windows and improper or missing flashing. * Stucco will absorb some moisture without detrimental effects. * All EIFS and Stucco cladding installations allow moisture entry to some extent without damage around the penetrations in the cladding.
Interior wall damage * Moisture damage to the interior wall components, along with the presence of wood destroying organisms, is very difficult to detect and confirm without an intrusive examination. * Wood window and door assemblies quickly deteriorate in several EIFS and Stucco types. * Interior wall components deteriorate very quickly if water enters behind one particular EIFS type. * Wood window and door assembles quickly rot in most "hard coat" EIFS. * Hard coat stucco installations with EIFS trim and banding experience the most rapid and severe damage to window and door components. * Most interior wall damage occurs in the banding and structural plate where water migrates and collects.
EIFS & Stucco Types * Substandard materials are often substituted for the components that make up an approved EIFS. * There are least seven EIFS types, not one. * Some EIFS types are hybrid and lack technical support.
Maintenance and Care of Synthetic Stucco * Rust stains are most often the result of the use of improper metal fasteners during installation. * Most types of mold and mildew are not detrimental to EIFS or Stucco. * Painting of a Synthetic Stucco finish is expensive, mostly unnecessary and often improperly done. * Pressure washing Synthetic stucco can cause severe damage to the finish. * Ivy or other climbing vegetation that attach to the synthetic stucco surface will damage the finish.
Termites and other wood destroying organisms * Note: Annual Termite damage in the United States exceeds the combined damage of fires, tornadoes and hurricanes. * Most EIFS and Stucco types are installed in such a way as to fail Pest Control protection. Termite activity and damage are commonly discovered in EIFS and Stucco homes during remedial work. * Very often, the Pest Control Operator fails to detect and treat termites in EIFS and Stucco homes over extended periods of time. * Wood destroying organisms, including termites, are common in EIFS and more destructive than in standard Stucco. * Barrier termite protection is ineffective on most EIFS and Stucco installations. * Cutting off your EIFS or Stucco could drive termites to breed in the walls of your home. * Active termite infestations have been observed in homes with the new "termite bait station systems." * Termites are foraging creatures and do not respond to "bait lures." The new bait perimeter systems have been observed as ineffective on many EIFS and Stucco homes.
Legal Arena * Federal & State lawsuits have been filed in many states seeking damages for improper EIFS and Stucco installations. * The cost to pursue a legal claim can be substantial and frustrating, but nowhere near the cost of repairing an EIFS and Stucco home with serious moisture damage and or termite damage. * Only an attorney experienced in construction law in your state should be retained. * Applicable laws concerning EIFS and Stucco litigation differ remarkably from state to state. * Active EIFS and Stucco litigation around the country have forced changes in statutes of limitations in some states.
Market Dynamics * Property Values are threatened four ways: Technical Problems, Market Perception, Useless Remedial Work, and Termite Protection and Control * A pre-sale examination report is an effective negotiation tool.
Builders * Builders need to understand that EIFS require special expertise to install properly, at little extra cost. An independent third party Examiner is the best insurance for proper installation.
Home Inspectors * The structural wall components will determine the overall performance of the cladding. * A competent Inspector can tell the type of cladding, predict performance and define remedial procedures. * All EIFS and Stucco cladding are subject to moisture entry. Understanding which ones will dry and which won't is the trick. * Knowing the amount of moisture in the wall components is of little value in determining the reason water is present.
Call
me, Allison Russell, at to find out more about how I can help you sell your stucco house!
For more detailed information about stucco, Go to For information about the DRYVIT class action lawsuit, Go to http://www.stuccosettlement.com
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