Stucco Inspections

If you love the natural, textured look of stucco and veneer stone, then it’s important to take steps to ensure that this finish stays in great shape.

It’s wise to schedule a stucco moisture intrusion inspection whenever you are buying or selling a property that has this feature. However, you also may want to schedule periodic inspections to find out if some routine maintenance or repairs are required.

Contact Pro-Spect today for all your residential and commercial inspection needs. We are your local experts when you need to know precise details about the condition of the real estate that you are buying or selling.

Do You Need a Stucco Inspection?

This is a beautiful building material, but like other construction components, things can go wrong. Usually these are problems like:

-General maintenance;

-Mold & mildew;

-Moisture intrusion; and

-Structural damage.

When these problems occur, the issue may not be apparent to the homeowner until months or even years after the problem began. The result is the need for massive potentially extensive repairs.

A thorough inspection is the best way to either head off these problems or identify them early enough so that they can be addressed before the damage becomes severe.

If you are buying or selling a home that has a stucco and/or stone veneer wall cladding material, then having an inspection performed is even more critical. Make sure that you know exactly what you’re getting.

What’s Involved in an Inspection?

This stucco and/or stone veneer is applied to the wood or masonry that forms the building’s structure. Materials used may include aggregate, which is used as a binder, and water. This material is applied when wet. When it dries, it becomes tough and dense. Thanks to its attractiveness and durability, this type of wall cladding is found on many homes.

It’s generally a low-maintenance material, which is good news for budget-conscious homeowners. However, periodic inspections may be needed to ensure that the finish is still performing up to expectations.

During an inspection, a variety of analyses and tests are utilized on the home’s exterior and interior surfaces. Most of these tests are aimed at determining the moisture levels around the home. Specialized equipment, such as tools that are used to take moisture readings, is used during the inspection.

The inspector will visually review things like:

-Head flashings;

-Kick-out flashings;

-Expansion joints;

-Weep screeds; and

-Joints around windows and doors.

However, more hands-on measures may be needed with components such as window and door flashings, drainage planes and moisture barriers. This is because these elements tend to be placed behind the plaster. The inspector will have to assess the interior wood behind the wall cladding material to test these items. Usually, this is accomplished by drilling two small holes and inserting a moisture probe.

It further may be possible to use thermal imaging to get an infrared image of the structure. This image may demonstrate areas in the home where there are potential issues with moisture.

Regardless of the equipment or methods used, the inspection is a crucial part of ensuring that your home is safe and sound.

Hire the Right Professional

No matter what project you are working on around your house, it’s critical that you hire the right professional to help.

When you need home inspection services, rely on the experts at Pro-Spect. We are a locally owned company serving people throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Whether you are buying a home, selling a home or just want to make certain that everything in your current home is functioning the way it should, turn to Pro-Spect to get answers that you can trust.

Call us today to find out more about our 200% satisfaction guarantee and the full range of inspection services that we provide.