Is a stucco inspection worth it?

We get this question a lot.  Is finding a potential $100,000 problem in your home worth a few hundred dollar inspection?  Of course it is.  Let’s understand the issue and why a stucco inspection is the most valuable information you can get on a stucco home.

Stucco Problems are invisible,

until they are not.  Back in the old days (prior to 2001) most people did not get a stucco inspection. Strange things were happening to stucco homes.  The walls inside would start to turn black with mold.  Tea stains would happen around window openings.  Weird smells would happen.  Often, they would contact a mold company and find themselves in for a huge and expensive project.

The stucco inspection process

was invented in the 80s in response to a rash of EIFS failures in the Carolinas.  People wanted a way they could predict wether the stucco system that was installed was allowing moisture in.  The stucco inspection process worked because it was predictive.  It shows elevated moisture levels on the wood structure.  In many cases problems can be caught well before moisture enters the wall cavity and has a chance to attack the drywall.

Fast forward to the early 2000’s and throughout the Northeastern part of the country many stucco homes were constructed.  These homes were not built with the EIFS that had troubled the south.  However, what was discovered, was that these homes built with hard coat stucco were failing in exactly the same way.  The moisture barriers that were supposed to protect the wood were not installed correctly.  Ultimately, the new epicenter of stucco failures had moved north.

When asking for a stucco inspection there is pressure on buyers from sellers to ask for only a visual inspection.  From what we had learned from decades past, there was only one reliable way to detect this problem.  With an invasive stucco inspection.  What’s Involved in a Stucco Inspection?

When performing an invasive stucco inspection, high moisture and wood rot can be detected.  This is done by drilling small holes in the stucco system and inserting a moisture meter.  The moisture meter provides a reading of moisture level of the wood.   It can also detect if the wood has already become soft or has rotted.  This is why a stucco inspection is worth it, worth every penny.Why Should I Get A Stucco Inspection with Stucco Testing?