Stucco Water Damage and Inspections in Tampa Bay

Signs of water behind stucco

• Dark or streaked staining below windows, light fixtures, hose bibs and roof-to-wall corners.
• Stucco that crumbles, sounds hollow when tapped or flexes when pressed.
• Bulges or blisters in the finish coat.
• White mineral deposits at the base of the wall or below cracks.
• A weep screed that is missing or buried under soil, mulch or pavement.
• Inside the house: peeling paint, swollen trim or a musty smell.

Any one of these is a reason to have the wall checked. Several together are a stronger one.

Why stucco gets wet

Traditional three-coat stucco is not waterproof. It sheds most water, and the layers behind it, the flashing and the weep screed handle the rest. A small opening at a window edge, a crack, a sealant joint or a pipe penetration lets water behind the wall faster than it can leave.

Wind-driven rain is a common cause of wet stucco walls on homes with no other damage. The lesson for any Tampa Bay wall: the openings matter more than the stucco itself.

What a stucco inspection looks at

An inspection starts with the walls and the places water enters. Then it takes readings.

• Cracks, stains, bulges and hollow spots, wall by wall.
• Flashing and sealant joints around windows, doors and penetrations.
• The weep screed at the bottom of the wall and whether soil or paving has covered it.
• Moisture readings at suspect spots, often by drilling small probe holes near windows and other penetrations, which are sealed afterward.

A visual check alone cannot see behind the finish coat. Ask whether readings will be taken and where.

Fix the water first

A patch over a wet wall does not last. The repair order is to find the entry point, remove stucco that is damaged, let the wall dry, then rebuild. The patching page covers the rebuild.

Water repairs cost more because the wall behind the stucco is involved. See the cost guide.

Questions to ask about an inspection

• What will be checked, and will you get the readings in writing?
• Are probe holes needed, and how are they sealed?
• Is the weep screed clear, and is there room to fix it?
• What is the price if the inspection finds water behind the wall?