Stucco is tough, but it is not completely bulletproof. If you live around the Santa Anita Oaks or closer to Live Oak Avenue in Arcadia, CA, you already know how fast local dust, the summer sun, and occasional heavy winter downpours can test a home's exterior. Top Notch Stucco Co has been patching and finishing walls across this area for years, and the houses that stay looking sharp are the ones that get a little bit of regular attention.
Extending the life of your Stucco finish starts with keeping moisture away from where it should not be. Here is a checklist to keep things in check:
- Walk your property twice a year and look for hairline cracks, especially around window corners and door frames.
- Keep sprinklers adjusted so they are not constantly soaking the base of your walls. Constant hard water spray leaves mineral deposits and weakens the Stucco finish.
- Wash the dust off once a year using a low-pressure garden hose; never blast the Stucco with a high-pressure commercial power washer or you will tear right through the Stucco texture.
Most people do not realize that Stucco actually breathes a little bit. When hairline cracks open up from the shifting soils we get around the foothills in Arcadia, CA, they act like little sponges during a rare rainstorm. Water gets trapped behind the surface, and once that heat hits, that trapped moisture turns to vapor and starts pushing the Stucco finish right off the lath.
Warning signs for Stucco damage are usually pretty obvious if you know what you are looking for. Staining that looks like rust usually means the metal lath underneath is corroding. If you push on a soft spot and it gives way, or if you spot white, powdery crusts creeping across the surface, that is efflorescence, meaning moisture is actively moving through your Stucco wall.
Top Notch Stucco Co sees plenty of do-it-yourself patch jobs that ended up trapping water instead of keeping it out. If you have cracks wider than a credit card, bulges in the wall, or widespread discoloration, it is time to bring in a professional for Stucco Repair in Arcadia, CA. Catching these things early saves you from a massive tear-out later on.