Stucco, found on most homes in Nevada, is a siding material that is both durable and long-wearing and is easy to repair when superficial cracks appear. It is incredibly versatile and offers a variety of surfacing options so finding a finish that will suit your home perfectly is easy.

But despite all the good things about stucco, it may be hiding a deep, dark secret from you: water damage. Like any kind of siding, stucco is meant to protect your home from the elements. But it can’t do its job properly unless it is installed properly.

Water damage is usually caused from improper sealing the stucco meets windows, flashing and other joints. So how can I tell if there’s moisture damage behind my stucco? Stucco tears (water beads) are a tell-tale that you’ve got moisture damage. But there are times when there are no outward signs of moisture damage, meaning homeowners have no idea that they’ve got mold and mildew and rot eating away at their property until it’s too late.

But while stucco tears are sign, they are not conclusive. The best way to determine whether you have water damage in stucco is a moisture test. You’ll need to hire a professional contractor to conduct this moisture test. Once you’ve diagnosed your moisture problem, you can either repair or replace the stucco.

If you catch moisture damage early, it’s possible that repairs will be enough to remedy the problem, but often repairs aren’t really a permanent solution. Your stucco siding can still be at risk of future moisture damage. Also, if the damage is extensive or the necessary repairs intensive, it might be easier and more cost-effective to do a complete siding replacement. If you do decide to go the replacement route, there are a lot of siding options to consider and I recommend contacting a professional contractor for an evaluation.

The Dulcie Crawford Group has a comprehensive list of vendors we have compiled over the years. Feel free to contact me or my office to obtain this list of qualified professionals to address this and other types of repair issues for your home.