Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If they didn't use a weep screed, they did something wrong. Period. Where were the inspectors on that one, or are the Clark County (greater Las Vegas area) building codes silent on this issue?
As for Kitek, I don't know about it. you'll have to pick that fight with someone else.
BTW, if I was hanging my hat on that study to use as a rule, which fails as a true "study" in my book, I would be worried. It doesn't meet anyones standards for a thorough and definitive source document, so I can't go with it as you suggest.
As I said, it brings up good points and makes some excellent recommendations that they should have been enforcing much earlier. If anything, it shows that their code and inspection functions of the city were caught with their pants down. Now, they're playing catch up.
In the meantime, I'll remain happy with my stucco house. At least, I don't have to keep painting it like wood sided houses, no matter how much I like their classic appearance, and I'll feel better knowing that the house is more fire resistant because of the stucco use.
ON EDIT:
Olecapt, here's a 44 page link for you url=http://www.state.mn.us/mn/externalDocs/Commerce/Stucco_Study_111202035327_Stucco.pdf]Minnesota Study[/url], but I'm also going to quote the first few lines of the Conclusion section of the report. The underlines and bolding were added by me Here it is:
"Water intrusion into building envelopes can and does cause extensive damage to all types of buildings. Research of how water enters building envelopes with stucco and EIFS cladding overwhelmingly indicates that water is entering the envelope from the exterior of the building. Most of the case studies reviewed reported that poor design, improper or careless installation, and lack of communication among project members are responsible for the conditions that allow water intrusion."
This study addresses what I wrote. The installation needs to be done properly. If it's not done right, there will be problems . . . no matter what siding choice is selected. It also does not infer, suggest, or conclude that stucco is a poor siding choice. It concludes that the installers need to do the job, right, which appears to have been a problem in areas unfamiliar with the product.
If they didn't use a weep screed, they did something wrong. Period. Where were the inspectors on that one, or are the Clark County (greater Las Vegas area) building codes silent on this issue?
As for Kitek, I don't know about it. you'll have to pick that fight with someone else.
BTW, if I was hanging my hat on that study to use as a rule, which fails as a true "study" in my book, I would be worried. It doesn't meet anyones standards for a thorough and definitive source document, so I can't go with it as you suggest.
As I said, it brings up good points and makes some excellent recommendations that they should have been enforcing much earlier. If anything, it shows that their code and inspection functions of the city were caught with their pants down. Now, they're playing catch up.
In the meantime, I'll remain happy with my stucco house. At least, I don't have to keep painting it like wood sided houses, no matter how much I like their classic appearance, and I'll feel better knowing that the house is more fire resistant because of the stucco use.
Filed for and got a variance. Though it is not clear whether the conditions for the variance were met. I got a couple of html pages on the subject that I will post a link to if they are still usable.
It is anecdotal. That is what you use lacking anything better. Given that you have a stucco house exactly what do you think your choices are?
The question was would one buy one in a cold and wet climate. I would not without better information.
Kitek is the biggest disaster in plumbing ever. I do not believe there is a definitive report...but all kitek plumbing jobs fail regardless.
Location: Halfway between Number 4 Privet Drive and Forks, WA
1,516 posts, read 4,589,708 times
Reputation: 677
I would stay away from all pre-1996 stucco. I would probably never buy stucco anything because of the stigma attached to it. You will also probably severely narrow your potential buyer pool should you ever sell it, because, no, most people won't want it. We have vinyl siding and have had two vinyl homes. Given the choice, I would choose brick, hardi plank, or vinyl siding.
Find out if the house is old-fashioned "hardcoat" stucco or synthetic "EIFS" (pronounced "efis") stucco. Hardcoat stucco has been around forever and is a very durable siding. When EIFS stucco was first introduced to the market, there were a lot of class action lawsuits because if it is incorrectly applied it will allow too much water intrusion. As long as it's properly applied, it's apparently a good siding, but it has gotten a bad reputation because of the class action suits and because it does take skill and experience to apply.
If you put an offer on this home, make it contingent upon an inspection by an experienced stucco inspector and the ability to get a repair bond.
I am in Charlotte NC and we have quite a few people coming in under corporate relo packages. Many of the companies specifically state in their relo offers that they will not offer the relo benefit on the purchase of a synthetic stucco home.
I don't see any basic problems with stucco in hot dry climates. But cold and wet appears more troubling. At one point the Woodbury reports suggests a 50% failure rate in 10 years. That is worse than other sidings.
EIFS is yet another problem. Very sensitive to execution and very hard to tell if it was well executed.
Note that some of the later papers also suggest that nobody understands the stucco systems when combined with American framing practices. There is some agreement that things like proper flashing and care with joints will help a lot...but no finding that such steps will fix the problems.
There is another potential problem with synthetic(EIFS) stucco. Some companies are telling their relocating employees that they may not be eligible for all of the company's relocation benefits if they purchase a house with synthetic stucco in certain areas of the country. This primarily involves companies that provide a home buyout as part of the employees relo package if the company moves them. The company doesn't want to get stuck with a house that has synthetic stucco issues.
We like a house in Chicago area which has Stucco Siding. Just curious, what are the pros and cons of Stucco? I have seen lot of houses in CA with Stucco Siding but not many in Chicago area.
I have heard that many people dont lilke Stucco.
Thanks for your inputs!
Stucco is great as you do not have to paint it every 25 years because the color is already a part of the material - it is relatively low maintenance in this regard and in the right climate (it is ideal in the Southwest). If the color is outdated you can paint over it but like any wood home you'll have to do it every 20 years or so if you do this.
Cons: If you have a spinkler countinously hitting the stucco... it will seperate from the brown coat (which is concrete) and fall off in chunks... leaving the concret exposed. Snow up against the concrete has the same effect. Not difficult to repair - but like paint it is not easy to match.
I have been told that its dry-vit. Is is better or worse?
Dry vit is german for quick dry. It was one of the original EIFs. Worse than regular stucco I would think.
Note that this is the classical EIF problem. Dryvit and others claims all the problems were do to bad workmanship. The plantiffs lawyers respond BS - that it was practically impossible to meet the requirements. Later systems had a drain system that came with a 10 year warrantee.
Google Dryvit...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
