It is important to get done the stucco repair Colorado Springs living creates
Colorado Springs is fortunate to be located in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. We have the plains, mountains, rivers, and everything in between. We also have weather, and it can be extreme at times. Weather and seismic activity, along with vibration caused by doors opening and closing, nearby traffic, and other issues can all lead to cracks in stucco finishes.
While hairline cracks in stucco are common and expected, any crack larger than 1/8” is not. A crack that size allows water to permeate the stucco and get behind the layers of insulation, barrier, and lath the stucco is build on top of. Moist tends to grow mold and mildew, breaking down your stucco, and if not dealt with rapidly, can lead to deterioration of internal wall materials in your structure.
Wind and hail are also challenges for any outside finish in Colorado. While stucco is fairly impervious to sun, and generally does not fade, a strong enough hail storm can cause dimples in your stucco, much like it does your vehicles. It is important to inspect your stucco exterior after a serious hail or windstorm for any potential damage, as well as after any seismic activity in the area.
Stucco repair Colorado Springs CO needs done calls for a professional
It hurts to say, but too often we get calls for stucco repairs after someone has tried to take care of it themselves, or had a handyman or painter try and fill the cracks with caulk and paint over them. This rarely ends well. At the best, the repair is usually unsightly, a sad outcome to a beautiful, upscale finish that gave class to your home or business. At the worst, the repair traps water in the stucco and causes mold and mildew to grow, leading to potentially serious damage to your stucco and building integrity.
If you see a running crack from a door or window frame, especially spider webbed, this is a sign whoever installed the stucco did not prepare the opening with the correct materials and seal the edges and corners right. This leave space for water and wind to intrude, driving moisture further into frame areas. Spider-webbing, long running cracks either vertical or horizontal, or worse, stucco that is crumbling and giving way in areas are all reasons to immediately contact a professional stucco company that knows how to assess and make the proper repairs to your stucco surfaces.
When you look for stucco repair contractors Colorado Springs trusts
Your first contact should be Stucco Contractors Colorado Springs. We have years of experience doing stucco and plaster installations and repairs, and we know how to evaluate and quote stucco repairs that will fix, not cover up, the problem. Repairing stucco requires knowing not only the problem, but the kind of stucco that is on the structure, establishing the substrate, and the actual building materials in the structure. Once we evaluate those things, we can provide a solid quote covering the repairs, as well as give you a schedule for the time it will take, to do the repairs right.
Colorado Springs stucco repair painting pros and cons
We see a lot of places where someone has tried to repair stucco by filling a crack with paint, or caulk then paint. Not only does this leave unsightly lines in your stucco, breaking the flow of the finish and usually the color as well, but likely is sealing in moisture. This can lead to serious problems with your stucco. In fact, it is not suggested that stucco is painted at all. Stucco can easily be tinted prior to application, a far superior way of achieving color.
The reason we do not recommend painting stucco is stucco continues to cure over its lifetime, getting harder and gaining durability. It toughens, so to speak, as it literally turns back into stone. Paint has a high potential for permeating the surface of the stucco and flaking it off in the future, often in patches, leaving not only an unsightly surface but a damaged one.
Stucco also breathes. It might sound odd to talk about a breathing house, but all houses are built to have some air exchange. This allows the HVAC system to operate properly, as well as the house to air and have an oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. It is healthy. Paint over stucco stops the natural ability of stucco to breath and be permeable. Think of it as painting over the pores in your skin, then trying to perspire to get rid of internal body heat. It just does not work.
Stucco Contractors Colorado Springs is your go-to contractor for quality stucco repairs done right. Our quotes are always free, and we look forward to fixing your stucco situation correctly.