Winter is coming. The cold winds are rising and it is time to prepare yourselves for the frigid weather ahead. For most people, winter is a time when you can forget about the exterior of your home. No mowing the lawn or power washing the house. However, for those people with stucco homes, winter is the time to be aware of your home’s exterior. The cold weather and heavy snowfall can have a negative impact on your home which is why you may want to conduct some stucco maintenance before the temperatures begin to drastically drop.
How Winter Affects Stucco Homes
When water is able to breach your stucco walls, it can then be passed on through to the framing of your home. It is crucial that you take steps to prevent this from happening. If the framing of your home absorbs too much water then it can cause it to mold and rot, which will leave the structure of your home extremely vulnerable.
The winter season can affect your stucco in a variety of ways. While small cracks in your stucco are normal, cold weather combined with heavy snowfall can cause some major concerns. As the temperature drops, stucco becomes more susceptible to cracking. So, those small cracks that you thought nothing of can easily turn into big cracks, which can lead to severe water damage.
How to Avoid Winter Stucco Damage
There are a couple things you can do yourself in order to prepare your stucco for the winter season. Applying a fresh coat of masonry paint before the cold weather comes is a good way to toughen up your stucco. Masonry paint penetrates through the surface of your stucco wall and can seal up any small cracks that may be there.
Removing stains can also help to prepare your stucco walls for the cold weather. Use a scrub brush, warm water, and a mild bleach solution to wipe away any stains. This not only will have your stucco looking pristine but it will help to prevent any mold from growing over the course of the winter months.
Remediating Stucco
If your stucco already has significant damage, remediation might be your best option in preparing for winter. The best solution would be to retrofit a new properly drained surface for your stucco walls. Adding a drainage plane material over your existing stucco can also effectively prevent water from penetrating your walls. Using a drainage screen at the bottom of your walls and weep holes around window or door openings will help to drain water away from your stucco wall. Other ways to prevent water from penetrating your stucco walls include repairing major cracks or patching up missing stucco.
Stucco Maintenance for Your Home
Stucco maintenance is important all year round but it is especially important right before the winter season begins. The cold weather and heavy snowfall will have a negative effect on your stucco if you do not take precautionary measures. To ensure that your home is protected throughout the winter, you may want to call your local stucco company to run an inspection on your house.
At Royal State Construction, we specialize in stucco and stone installation, repair, and remediation. Not only do we improve the look of your home but we also insulate with the highest quality materials, keeping your family dry and warm during the harsh cold months. Check out our gallery to view our past work or take a look at our transformations to see some before and after shots. Before you know it, winter will be knocking at our door so, prepare your stucco home now and contact us today!
