STUCCO COMPLAINTS

There are a number of potentially liable parties who may be held responsible for stucco related problems including: Developers, builders, subcontractors, and manufacturers.  If water gets beneath the stucco system it can cause major rotting which may damage the interior surfaces and framing.  Water tends to saturate and damage the plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing and framing, causing extensive rot and mold. 

There are various infiltration points common in these cases: 

• Through the stucco system itself. As mentioned, stucco is a “cementitous” material that is not watertight.  The stucco system is generally supposed to be installed in three layers: the base coat, the brown coat, and the finish coat. It is common for these layers to be thinner than necessary. 
  
• Through insufficient felt. This felt is designed to allow water penetrating the stucco to drain down and out of the exterior of the home or to dry before infiltrating through the felt to the sheathing. Many building codes call for this felt to be “15 pound” felt. However, it is not uncommon for builders to use a felt that does not meet this standard, which would reduce the performance of this function, increasing the chance of water infiltration.
• Through Improper “flashing” of the windows, doors or the roof line. Most codes call for flashing details at these intersections. “Flashing” refers to home wrap or other impervious materials installed to prevent the passage of water into a structure from an angle or a joint. If these details are not followed correctly, water may infiltrate through the angles or joints and leak down behind the underlayment and into the sheathing. Here, investigators will look for what is known as “reverse lapping.” With “reverse lapping,” instead of repelling water, the installation method actually channels the water into the wall cavity. Prolonged water infiltration then weakens the building structure over time until cosmetic damages become visible.
• Through the absence of caulk and caulk joints around widows, roof and wall intersections. Wherever the stucco system meets a different surface, the two surfaces expand and contract at different rates as the temperature increases or decreases. This variant expansion creates a seam through which water can infiltrate the exterior envelope. Therefore, caulk joints and caulk should be installed to seal these joints and prevent the creation of gaps through which water can infiltrate behind the stucco system.

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