People often ask if a stucco inspection is really necessary.

As a stucco inspector of course I’m going to say yes but let’s understand why.  Over the last 30 years or so stucco construction has been very popular.  Most of the stucco has been installed using the very same process.  In the late 90s a particular problem started happening to people with stucco homes, their walls would turn black.

Fast forward a few years, and this had become a pretty common problem (moldy walls).  It was common enough that folks started getting what’s referred to as a stucco inspection.  Many people think that a stucco inspection is much like a home inspection in the fact that a trained person puts their eyeballs on the stucco and gives the thumbs up or thumbs down.

Problem is, stucco system problems are almost always invisible from the outside.  This means, no matter how trained someone is, they can’t see a stucco problem.  The only way to really know if the system is failing, is to do an invasive moisture test.  The invasive moisture test allows the inspector to measure the levels of the wood behind the stucco system.  He can tell if the wood is likely going to rot, or has rotted already.  These holes are sealed up once complete.

Stucco Inspection is Necessary for every stucco home!

For a standard sized house, it’s common that the repair (remediation) of this kind of issue can well exceed $100K.  Therefore, it is crucial that a stucco inspection is performed before you buy a home with a stucco exterior.  If you live in a home that has stucco and has never been inspected, you should have the inspection performed.  Stucco system issues never get cheaper over time.  Smart home buyers these days would never buy a stucco home without an inspection, so it’s always a good idea to have yours checked ahead of time.  Learn more about what’s involved with a stucco inspection here:What’s Involved in a Stucco Inspection?