Exterior walls in the South Bay experience many challenges. Between the baking summer sun in neighborhoods like Ponderosa and the sudden winter downpours we get off the Santa Cruz Mountains, your home exterior takes a heavy beating. Stucco is very durable, but stucco is not completely indestructible. If you want to keep your exterior walls from cracking up prematurely, Sunnyvale Stucco Co knows you have to stay ahead of routine upkeep.
What Regular Stucco Maintenance Looks Like
Keeping your stucco healthy does not mean spending every weekend on a ladder. Most of the time, regular Stucco Maintenance is just about keeping things clean and checking for changes. Here is what you should actually be doing:
- Wash down the Stucco exterior once a year with a standard garden hose to get rid of dust, spiderwebs, and pollution film. Do not blast it with a high-pressure washer or you will tear up the finish coat.
- Walk your perimeter every few months to check for new lines or discoloration on your Stucco.
- Keep landscaping shrubs and tree branches trimmed at least two feet away from your Stucco walls so trapped moisture does not eat away at the surface.
Spotted These Warning Signs?
Ignoring small issues is the easiest way to turn a hundred-dollar patch job into a multi-thousand-dollar framing repair. Here is what you need to watch out for around your house:
Hairline cracks happen as houses settle, especially in areas with clay-heavy soils that shift with moisture changes. But if you see cracks wider than a credit card, or areas where the Stucco sounds hollow when you tap it, you have got a bigger problem brewing. Stained streaks below windows or dark patches that stay wet long after it stops raining usually mean your flashing has failed and water is getting behind the Stucco cladding.
When to Call a Professional
Some minor hairline cracks can be sealed with a high-grade elastomeric caulk if you are handy, but most Stucco repairs require an expert touch at Sunnyvale Stucco Co. Call in a professional when you notice crumbling material, extensive delamination where the Stucco surface is pulling away from the lath, or any signs of moisture intrusion. Sunnyvale Stucco Co has the right mix ratios and texture matching tools to make sure the Stucco fix blends right in and actually protects your home instead of trapping water inside the wall. For homes and businesses in Sunnyvale, Sunnyvale Stucco Co provides Stucco Maintenance services.