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Synthetic Stucco Repair

Marlene Alphonse
Synthetic stucco is normally installed on the exterior of the house, making it prone to damage, especially due to water. Continuous exposure to the elements of nature, makes the stucco weather-beaten and damaged. To prevent the walls from getting damaged, the stucco should be repaired on a regular basis.
The exterior walls of the house may get weather beaten and need to be protected from damage. In order to repair the damage, contractors created synthetic stucco. Also referred to as Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS), this material is applied to the exterior walls of a house to prevent factors like sun, rain, sleet and snow from spoiling it.
Synthetic stucco is much stronger than its traditional version or 'hard stucco'. Apart from protecting the walls, it also provides insulation since it is made by combining insulated sheathing and fiberglass mesh. The finish of the stucco is also attractive and similar to real stucco.
Synthetic stucco not only protects the wall from weather conditions, but it also beautifies the external appearance of your house. However, due to continuous exposure to environmental factors, synthetic stucco may suffer from damages.
Infestation of termites, black mold etc. also affects the stucco and spoils its purpose. To avoid permanent damage it is necessary to undertake synthetic stucco siding repair.

Instructions to Repair Damaged Synthetic Stucco
As mentioned earlier, synthetic stucco is an important addition to protect the exteriors of a house. Though considered to be damage proof, synthetic stucco can suffer from problems mainly due to water.
The main problem in case of the synthetic material is that the water gets trapped inside and the moisture due to this can cause defects in the wood sheathing and framing. This can also instigate the infestation of termites, which may further cause havoc.
Hence, it is essential to correct these issues before it is too late. Here are some of the steps implemented for repairing the damaged stucco around your house.
  • Before you get to the task of correcting the issue regarding synthetic stucco, it is essential to assess the damaged areas. Also purchase the correction materials which is flashing, caulk, and caulking gun from a hardware store.
  • After assessing the damaged area, get into action to treat it and provide a permanent solution. In case you find colonies of termites crawling about, contact your local exterminator or pest control department to destroy the pests and seal the holes permanently so that there is no revert of this problem.
  • As water and moisture are also responsible for damaging synthetic stucco, you need to take necessary measures to avoid water seepage into the walls. Water dripping from the roof can also enter the walls or siding. For this you can install flashings around the window sills, chimneys, etc.
The flashings are available in different types - diverter flashing, rake flashing and valley flashing - based on your requirement. These flashings can be installed in the places where the walls and roof intersect, and also along the joints of the roof.
  • The next step is to plug cracks and other trouble spots in the stucco. For this purpose you can use caulk and apply it in the problem areas.
Using a caulking gun, this waterproof filler and sealant can be applied on moldings of doors and windows, sill joints and window jambs. Caulk can plug the cracks and discourage termites from building colonies in them. This method also dissuades the logging of water in the holes.
Timely checking and repair can reduce the chances of complete destruction of the stucco. In case none of these suggestions prove to be effective and you still encounter problems of stucco damage, then you may have to get your entire house re-stuccoed.