Stucco Problems: Home Inspector Said Minor, Realtor Said Typical, Contractor Said Total Replacement

At Hero Inspection Services, we are hearing more and more stories about stucco contractors trying to talk homeowners into spending MAJOR money on stucco replacement. We’re also hearing stories about lawyers approaching homeowners and neighborhoods about bad stucco and trying to sue the home builder.

Many homes in Florida have stucco and most people have heard some of the horror stories.

After this family heard their stucco contractor say that all the existing stucco needed to come down and all new stucco was needed, they decided to get an unbiased and expert opinion.

Hero Inspection Services has the only two EDI Certified Stucco/EIF Inspectors in Central Florida and were hired to conduct an advanced stucco inspection to determine what the real damages were.

Moisture testing was conducted at the home in key areas to determine what was going on and if there were significant stucco damages.

It was determined that an area on the side of the garage had moisture intrusion and an area where kick-flashing was missing. That’s it! Total replacement seemed quite extreme.

Having an Unbiased Stucco Inspection Saved This Family ALOT of Money!

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Advanced Stucco Inspection and Moisture Testing

Your moisture analysis is intended to be the first step in protecting your home. ​

Testing Method - The moisture testing performed on the stucco wall covering at this building was an invasive moisture test performed from the exterior. This test was conducted by drilling 3/16" holes in the siding, inserting a pin-probe moisture meter to take moisture readings of the substrate, then filling the holes with an ASTM approved caulk of a closely matching color.

Using an advanced moisture detection system, we measure the moisture content of the substrate behind the stucco system. The penetrating probe has an effective range from 0 to 99%. This is the number that is recorded in the report.
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Key
0% - 15%: Moisture reading currently acceptable
16% - 19% : Elevated moisture reading or possible substrate damage
20% - 99% : Moisture high enough for mold or wood rot if sustained, or substrate damage

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