03 - moisture management

Stucco Moisture Management and Protection

In Edison, NJ, moisture is one of the biggest threats to stucco houses. This is likewise true for the remainder of the humid northeastern United States. Inadequately placed stucco may trap moisture inside your walls.

Mold, mildew, and fungus may thrive in damp environments. If it enters your home’s wooden structure, it may cause the walls to rot from the inside out.

Hiring skilled stucco installers may help keep your house secure. They will be able to implement moisture control and protection methods.

This article will differentiate between moisture management and moisture protection. You’ll also discover why combining the two is the most effective strategy to secure your house.

Moisture Management

Moisture management is the process of removing moisture that has entered your wall system. Modern Stucco is a permeable exterior house material used nowadays. This implies that moisture might enter the wall hollow via the stucco surface.

It’s not only stucco that lets moisture in. Always expect moisture to get into your walls at some time. This is true regardless of whether the outside of your house is stucco, siding, or veneer. What happens when moisture enters your wall system?

There are two primary methods for removing moisture from your walls. Moisture may escape through the wall’s bottom, evaporate through the top, or both.

Weep Screeds

Weep screeds are drainage holes at the walls’ base that enable moisture to “weep” out. They are widely used in modern stucco, siding, stone, and brick veneer applications.

Air Vents

Air vents allow air to circulate through the wall, drying any leftover moisture. The weep screed at the wall’s base also functions as an air vent. However, apertures in the walls’ tops must be more frequently integrated.

The extra air vents increase airflow. The enhanced circulation aids in the evaporation of moisture through the top of the wall. However, if not correctly installed, they may have the opposite effect. You don’t want moisture getting into your wall cavity via the vents used to dry it off.

Moisture Protection

Moisture protection stops moisture from entering your walls and throughout your house. Keeping moisture out of your walls will be referred to as exterior protection. Keep moisture out of your home with inside protection.

External Moisture Protection

The act of eliminating water from your walls is known as moisture management. External moisture protection, on the other hand, works to keep moisture out of your walls in the first place. What could be more enjoyable than getting the wet out of your walls? Moisture should not be present on your walls.

Gutters are a well-known component of external moisture prevention. They direct rainfall away from your house’s walls and down to the ground. Rainwater would stream down your walls and soak through without gutters.

The exterior paint on your house may also assist in keeping moisture out. Elastomeric paint, for example, waterproofs the stucco surface. Conversely, this paint lowers the chance of moisture 

seeping back through the stucco surface.

Internal Moisture Protection

When moisture penetrates your walls, another layer of protection is provided. This layer consists of a water-resistive barrier (WRB) and flashing. Both the WRB and the flashing keep moisture out of the rest of your home.

We may not realize it, but already familiar with WRBs. This is the paper used to cover the frames of new buildings. It is often green, although it may be, depending on the situation, a number of various hues makers.

WRBs keep moisture away from your home’s wooden structure. They are not, however, indestructible. Rot might begin if water gets past the barrier.

Flashing keeps moisture away from doors, windows, and other entry points. Moisture may enter your home via any openings on the exterior. Inadequate flashing may aggravate the issue by diverting moisture to these vulnerable areas.

Stucco Installation Done Right

Moisture control and protection are most effective when used in tandem. We understand the need for moisture control and upkeep as expert stucco contractors. During repair work, we often witness the harm that faulty installations may cause.

Water will accumulate inside your walls if moisture control is not implemented. As a consequence, significant harm will be done over time. Even a little water may quickly become a major issue in the absence of moisture protection. Water will seep into your house if it cannot leave.

Too much moisture may cause any portion of the system to fail. As a consequence, moisture management and protection must be coordinated. They each compensate for the shortcomings of the other.

Water will continue to permeate your walls. However, with these precautions, you can be certain it will be in small quantities. And the liquid will quickly evaporate or drain from the wall’s hollow.

CMB Edison Stucco & EIFS Repair, Greater Edison NJ Trusted Stucco Experts

Is water leaking through your walls and into your home? Have you discovered mold or mildew on your outside walls? If this is the case, a stucco check is in order.

An assessment may aid in determining the cause of the damage and outlining the required remedies. Water intrusion nearly always demands remediation. The exterior must be completely stripped and rebuilt throughout the remediation process. Moisture management and interior moisture protection systems are included.

To schedule an inspection, please contact the Stucco Today crew. Don’t wait for your home’s damage to worsen.

Is water pouring through your walls and into your home? Have you seen mold or mildew on your outside walls? If this is the case, a stucco inspection is in order.

An examination may help identify the source of the damage and outline the necessary repair work. When there is an issue with water intrusion, remediation is almost always needed. The exterior must be removed and replaced as part of the remediation process. This includes both moisture management and internal moisture protection systems.

Please get in touch with the CMB Edison Stucco & EIFS Repairstaff to schedule an inspection. Don’t wait until the damage to your house escalates.