stucco, Sun City Hilton Head, SC

[PE, retired]

My neighbor called me up yesterday to look at her house. The hurricane shutter supports have been removed from the bottom of her windows. I don't know how much that you can tell from these photos, but there's heavy corrosion. Many here have had stucco problems--see http://www.suncityblufftonhomedefectclaims.com/index.asp

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[PE, retired]

more photos

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[Carl Brown]

Rusting corner beads.

http://amico-lath.com/lath/x1_cornerbead.htm

I was once told by an industry ex-pert the corner beads were only a 10 year product it looks like those did not make the 10 years.

To much water from the improperly installed shutters.

Is there a bracket along the sill of the window that holds water on the top side of it?

Can you post a couple pictures of the brackets in place.

And if you go by the ASTM specs for the stucco application there should be a backer rod and sealant joint between the stucco and the windows.

And as per most window mfgrs. they call for a joint also.

For starters.

[PE, retired]

these photos are my house--I live at 58 Redtail; my neighbor lives at 31.

my neighbor's house is 5 years old; mine is 4+.

Is there a bracket along the sill of the window that holds water on the top side of it?
Is that the "Z" shaped thing over the windows?

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[Carl Brown]

How close to the salt water are you?

[PE, retired]

a couple of miles to tidal rivers. 20 miles to the Intercoastal Waterway.

[Carl Brown]

If they repair them tell them to use

http://amico-lath.com/vinyl.htm

And the shutter brackets help cause the damage. imo

[Carl Brown]

And another tidbit of info.

The acrylic products like the finish that is on the stucco seems to speed up the rusting of metal.

[Carl Brown]

Did they build the trim out of stucco and make it thick or is it very thin over a board nailed on the wall?

[PE, retired]

everything is stucco around the windows, except the bracket over the windows and the storm shutter support under the windows. as near as I can tell the stucco wasn't applied to a board underneath.

Here's a comment posted to my blogsite (http://peretired.blogspot.com/2009/02/stucco.html):

"I've seen rust coming thru from the metal lath used around windows to form the frame on a Pulte/Del Webb house. One would expect that the material used for stucco lath for protrusions that would retain moisture would be rust resistant or plastic. The practice of framing around windows was discontinued on stucco houses in Phase 5. Stucco has been dropped entirely in the Reflections development in favor of hardy plank which is often listed at half the estimated life of stucco( properly applied stucco) but of course is much less expensive to use.

The repair I saw for rust coming thru the window frame was to apply a primer(base) stucco coat and then a color coat. One would think that in another 3-4 years or sooner that it will show thru again. Eventually pieces of stucco should drop as the lath oxidizes into pieces."

[PE, retired]

Stucco problems at SCHH are summarized in a “stucco presentation” document found under the “Important Documents” tab at http://www.suncityblufftonhomedefectclaims.com/index.asp

An expert found widespread problems here with:
1. wall termination drainage
2. control joint installation and layout
3. sealant joint installations at dissimilar materials
4. through wall head flashing
5. cracking—the expert found cracks in stucco in 72% of  214 homes surveyed

In November 2008 an arbitration panel awarded a SCHH homeowner $66,000 for faulty stucco. http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/676781.html

[Carl Brown]

Those are easy pickings for the experts.

Almost all stucco nation wide has those problems.

Things that are done out of order like sheetrock being hung before the stucco is applied that causes cracks.

The base coat not being cured before the finish is applied that also causes cracks.

Painting the stucco before it is cured that causes a host of problems.

Applying acrylic finish before the basecoat is cured causes problems.

Moisture getting to the sheathing from the outside in and the inside out causing it to swell that causes cracks.

Improper spacing of the sheathing like OSB that causes cracks.

No sill flashing under windows and doors that exits the water to the exterior of the cladding that causes water damage and cracks.

A product such as paperback lath with paper on paper and metal on metal causes cracks.

The weepscreed at the bottom of the wall does not keep the wall right under a window from rotting out.

Using sand that is too fine for the basecoat that causes cracks.

Wood that shrinks/compresses that is not as dry as it should be when it is installed that causes cracks.

[Jay Markanich]

Geez, Carl, is that all?

Those SCHH homes are sure a mess.  And not them only, but how the neighborhoods were laid out as regards the overflow ponds.  And the ponds themselves!  Wow!

Good thing they have a Master Builder down there!

[Carl Brown]

The ex-perts run in and hit the obvious and make it look like they really said something to the homeowner.

[Jay Markanich]

That list above is something I am going to write down, keep in my bag, and have available for when I see stucco, which is at least a couple of times a week.  It's a great list!  Gracias...