Stucco Moisture

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Stucco Moisture

4- Whenever you make a change to your building with renovations you must always have the work inspected afterwards to ensure that any critical waterproofing tasks are done properly and sufficiently.

5- To keep your stucco looking nice and prevent it staining, you need to clean it from time to time. Using a pressure washer is fine, but you do need to calibrate the pressure washer to the stucco recommended pressure level to prevent damaging it.

Present Day Issues With Stucco

Without a doubt, stucco is a very good cladding system. One cannot dispute that and besides it wouldnt be used if it was not any good. Stucco systems are very efficient, well designed and suitable for the majority of homes. One downside to the stucco system is that it does rely upon the installation details which are completely concealed once the application of the system has been done. Hence the most important part of the system is the flashing and moisture barrier. If the installation job is not done well or properly then the homeowner will have severe problems from water intrusion damage. It is not possible to know if the installation has been done properly until it is too late. This is because many issues are concealed behind the stucco and not discovered until a professional test has taken place. Problems behind stucco usually require large wall surfaces of stucco to be removed and replaced. This can be costly and very time consuming.

Is moisture building up in the walls?

To know what is happening behind stucco a full professional moisture inspection is required. There are many ways and methods of doing this with an array of tools. You can test areas with a moisture meter but the much preferred method is to use an intrusive probe connected with a moisture meter to test the materials behind the stucco.

A scanner or infrared camera can also be used in the quest for moisture content levels, but they cannot be used on their own. This is because any wet areas located must be probed to check for rot amd mold and of the course, the actual moisture level content. With an infrared camera as well, it will not be able to detect damaged areas in the same way as probing does. Probing will allow you to ascertain the firmness of an area. Probing is by far the best method for testing stucco for moisture content issues.

A pin moisture meter is our preferred method. You can insert the pins into the stucco and gain a reading. Once the moisture meter probes have been removed, the remaining holes can be filled in with a caulk.

Repairing Stucco

The management of moisture is the trick to keeping your stucco in tip top condition. Damage can take place in older buildings or in badly installed stucco. Water damage can result in rust and rot. Stucco is breathable and will allow moisture vapour to pass through it. This means it can dry out. Repairing stucco can be done and is a pretty much straightforward process that will leave the surfaces back in good condition.

You can paint your stucco in any colour you desire with portland cement based paints. The paint needs to be scrubbed in to the surface of the stucco and fully cured. You can use other types of paint but they will not last as long as a cement based paint.

Cleaning stucco can be done easily providing there is no biological growth, contamination or staining with it. Most dirt can be easily removed. Water temperatures, strength of scrubbing and chemical detergents can all be changed for different types of dirt.

Moisture Meter Guide

The complete moisture meter website

Stucco is the name given to a type of plaster material that is applied to the outside of buildings and wooden structures. It is made up from aggregate materials, a binder and water. Stucco is applied to masonrt or wood when wet and after it has dried, it forms a very solid and dense protective coat for you building whilst looking attractive as well. Stucco proves to be a relatively low maintenance exterior finish for your home.

Stucco proves itself to be a good cladding system providing that any construction defects are repaired before application and the system is well maintained. As of today there is no such thing as a maintenance free cladding system for you home. Leaks can occur in all types of cladding systems but it must be noted that any leaks with the stucco system must be maintained immediately because of the destructive nature of water intrusion. With your stucco cladding system this is critical. Your first line of defence against water intrusion are the sealant joints. In many cases theses sealant joints are your only defence against water intrusion. Any water intrusion can result in your synthetic stucco system breaking down and the appearance of your home downgrading rapidly. But with proper care and maintenance of your stucco system you will get many years of good function from it and your home looking very nice with it.

To protect your home stucco system there are several steps to be taken;

1- Once or twice a year you should thoroughly check all sealants around your windows and doors. Look for any penetrations that have happened through your stucco. If you find any cracks in the stucco then they must be repaired promptly.

2- With any leaks, cracks or any discolouration with your stucco you must investigate the cause and rectify it. If you notice mold then you definitely have yourself a moisture issue that must be resolved.

3- When you mount a satellite dish or a new security system you will make a penetration through the stucco. You must always seal theses penetrations with a quality approved sealant.

Moisture Meter Guide 2010 Contact details:garnett65@hotmail.com

Moisture Meter Brands On This Site

Concrete moisture meter

Builders moisture meter

Garden moisture meter

Wood moisture meter

Wagner Moisture Meters

Delmhorst Moisture Meter

Delmhorst Dual Function

Tramex Moisture Meters

Tramex Encounter Plus

Tramex Compact Wood

Tramex Concrete Encounter

Tramex Skipper Plus

Tramex Roof And Wall

General Tools Moisture Meter

General Tools MMD4E Digital

General Tools MM1E Pin LED

General Tools MMD950

General Tools MMD5NP Pinless LCD

General Tools MMH800 4 In 1

General Tools GLMM200 Soil

General Tools MMD7003 Precision

General Tools MMD8P Multi Species

General Tools MMD7NP LCD

General Tools MM700D Precision

Sonin Moisture Meters

Sonin 50218 Digital

Sonin 50270 Digital

Sonin 50210 Test Tool

Sonin 50211 Test

Extech Moisture Meter

Extech MO260 Pin/Pinless

Extech MO270 Wireless

Extech MO210 Pocket

Extech MO220 Wood

Extech 407777 Heavy Duty

Lignomat Moisture Meter

Lignomat Mini Ligno E/D

Lignomat Mini Ligno S/D

Lignomat LED Wood

Lignomat Mini Ligno E

Lignomat Mini Ligno DX/C

Lignomat Scanner D

Lignomat Ligno Duotec

Lignomat Mini Ligno S

Condensation

This is damp from the air. Basically it is warm air which contains water vapour being cooled. This can happen from coming in to contact with a colder surface. Condensation facts

Rising Damp

Rising damp is caused by ground moisture rising up in to floors and walls of your home. This moisture will continue rising up on its journey until it evaporates. Rising damp information

Wet Rot

Despite the fact that wet rot is not as hard to eradicate as dry rot, it does occur more in buildings than dry rot. Wet rot can cause you severe problems and damage in your home. Wet rot pointers

Dry Rot

Unfortunately dry rot is one of the most damaging conditions you can have in your building. In order for dry rot to flourish it requires moisture. This moisture can come from many different sources in the home. Dry rot facts

Building Mold

Basically moulds are fungi which are a common group or organisms that also include yeasts and mushrooms. Moulds are usually found out in nature but can be carried to the indoors from the outdoors. To date more than 270 species of mould have been found and identified in people’s homes. The usual places molds are found in the home are in damp areas where moisture has affected the area. Such instances include in wallpaper, tiles, carpets, wood and insulation materials. This is why it is important to always be aware of moisture in the home and carry out spot checks once in a while with a building moisture meter. Building mold

Damp From Floors And Walls Drying Out

Basically caused by moisture content within the structure of your home working itself out from the structure. This type of damp can take months and even years to dry fully. This is because hot air dryers will only dry the moisture content close up to the surface of a material. Floor damp

Penetrating Damp

Penetrating damp is where damp from the rain or damp from the ground enters the walls of your home. It is basically caused by the moisture that enters your home does not have an escape route to follow. Penetrating damp problems

Chemical Damp

Chemical damp is basically caused from salt contamination. When plaster is contaminated by hygroscopic salts these salts will absorb moisture from the air. Chemical damp causes

Damp From Plumbing Leaks

These damps are caused by corrosion of the plumbing and plumbing joints in your home. The pipes can corrode internally over time because the pipes are made using different types of metal. Damp from leaks