We have decades of hands-on experience and are not full of book-knowledge, the latter of which can end up having you repeat mistakes that cause the very problems you are trying to solve. We look for problem causation and it is not always just the quality of the Stucco alone, that is at issue. A new cottage industry of Stucco Inspection has developed out of the dire need for answers in the Philadelphia marketplace. Very often the problems with the Stucco are syptomatic of bigger issues. The root of the problem may be multi-faceted, from the acceptance of lower standards in the cladding industry, the nixing of the three coat stucco specification, to the tightening of the walls for thermal effeciency, and many times basements floors without vapor barriers cause condensation on the inside of walls, and faulty bathroom vents and ducts and leaky faulty roofs all can contribute to failed stucco. Schedule a free consultation with a professional today by clicking the link for a free estimate / inspection.

START HERE

Please take a few moments and educate yourself on Stucco and the issues surrounding the industry. Rather than follow failing trends that are the result of compromise and profiteering, we will not offer any recommendations based upon flawed new-aged specifications. Please watch this video and then return here for more information as time allows so that you can be educated on the proper course of action.

11 min. Informative Video

Stucco Destructive Inspections

Destructive inspection is often called for in matters of legal proceedings or even real estate transactions. A stucco inspection to perform resistance and moisture readings involves drilling small holes into the stucco at strategic locations, then inserting a moisture probe through these holes to measure the electrical resistance of the wood behind the stucco, thereby indicating the conductivity which is translated into a moisture content reading on a specialized instrument. The resistance is a subjective measurement by the expert that indicates the presence of rotting substrate and overall structural integrity. Regardless of the claims that this type of inspection is not destructive, it is a destructive test. Caulk is used to seal the holes.

Expert Visual Analysis

Most often leaking stucco is the result of penetration flashing and the inspection need only be visual and non-destructive as the trouble spots are evident to seasoned professionals. The destructive inspection methods are often so targeted and restrictive that the ability to render definite information is very limited and the analysis is just subjective and not able to be relied upon fully for actual hidden conditions. Often, far more reliable is the eye of a professional that has years of experience in the proper flashing of windows and doors and lapping of trim elements and flashing of roofs and related intersections. The destructive inspection does become just a formality in the end scheme of things.

Often a Visual Inspection is Enough

On most inspections, drilling into the wall is not necessary to ascertain failure. Even with the desrtuctive testing, target areas are chosen based upon the obvious condition observed in the visual inspection. Take the job depicted above where failure was obvious and destructive testing would have been a waste of time and money.

Experience Counts

We have done a lot of work in your city. We are not an inspection company looking to sell you a high-priced stucco evaluation. We have a wealth of knowledge and industry experience from which to draw. You will gain more knowledge about your situation from an hour with one of our experts than you will with one from and inspection company. We are not 'single trade applicators' looking to make a buck. We are going on out 5th decade in this industry. We know the trends and we know the industry inside-and-out. We are skilled in more than just one trade or sub-trade or disipline, so we can diagnose causation and get to the root of critical flashing details. There is no charge for an initial visit.

The Underlayment Craze

The construction industry has come to rely upon underlayment and typical inspectors are also steeped in this new-age concept. Underlayment is not flashing and runoff should never reach the underlayment. Stucco doesn't have a drainage plane and it is tightly fastned to the wall so when water hits the underlayment, it enters the structure. Misguided industry specifications call for reliance on housewrap or tarpaper which is wrong. See the video below that shows how this is a very bad idea and explains the flaws in this new-age idea and also see the video above that has the heading 'START HERE' for more information.

Job Video