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What’s Behind Your Stucco? Signs of Stucco Failure

Stucco is a common house covering in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and it’s the primary alternative to brick or siding on a home. Unfortunately, while stucco has many pros, its biggest con is that it is prone to cracking. Even properly installed stucco will eventually fail over time. The question of stucco failure is “When is it going to fail?” not “Will it fail?” That’s the reason we recommend replacing stucco with siding whenever possible. 

The Reason Stucco Fails

A large crack where stucco is failing.

The main reason for stucco failure is improper installation of anything from the stucco itself to your windows, doors, flashings, decks, or any other place where a water barrier can fail. Combining stucco with brick, for example, requires a tight seal between the two different structural materials. 

Age also plays a role in stucco failure. Older homes are prone to stucco cracking. They often lack the proper moisture barriers that modern stucco applications use. Seals and caulk can also fail over time. 

What’s Happening Behind Your Stucco?

Cracks in stucco will eventually appear, allowing moisture to build up behind the stucco. Some cracks, such as spider cracking, signal that the first layer of stucco never properly cured and failed to attach to the material underneath. Even if the crack is not structural, it can still undermine the integrity of the stucco.

Moisture damage behind stucco

Mold and mildew can get into the stucco and onto the back of the interior wall’s drywall. It can even seep through the wall and cause damage or spots on the walls of your home. 

The cracks in your stucco also become the perfect home for insects, such as ants, who are looking for a source of moisture. The insects can then cause damage to the wood and drywall on the other side of your stucco. 

Once you have moisture in your stucco, the wood behind it will begin to rot. This can cause serious structural damage to your home if left untreated. 

Treating Stucco Failure

The best way to treat stucco damage is stucco remediation. Remediation means remedying the problem as opposed to just treating the symptoms. With stucco remediation, we’ll remove your stucco and apply a siding that is better suited to keeping your home moisture-free.  

What’s the Reason Volpe Enterprises Doesn’t Recommend Stucco Repair? 


Stucco repair only patches over the problem. It doesn’t remove the toxic mold or fix the rotten wood. Stucco remediation is the only sure way to resolve the issue of stucco failure. 

Replacing your stucco with siding is an important way to keep your home and interior walls safe from mold and mildew. Worried about losing the look of stucco? With James Hardie fiber cement board, you can choose siding panels designed to look like stucco. Stone facades as well as vertical and horizontal siding can also be combined to create a completely custom look to your home. 

More: Stucco vs. Siding

Stucco Failure

Let Volpe Enterprises help address your stucco failure before it happens. With quality James Hardie siding, we can create a safer, moisture-free exterior that will outperform and outlast your stucco.  Contact us today for a free stucco remediation quote. 

stucco failure before and after

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