Originally Posted By: kgrabowski This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Exterior flex coat paint has been applied to old stucco and is now cracking. Is this a result of poor preparation or our harsh winter climate, which gets below -30C.
Originally Posted By: lewens This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Kerri
I would think it is a question of the different expansion contraction rates of the two materials. Is it very old stucco that is mortar based? Is the substrate of the stucco scratch coat, then mesh, then finish? If the stucco is recent and is latex based I don’t believe you would see this.
I may be way off base but give it some thought. I’m sure more opinions are forthcoming.
Marcel, what do you think, I know you have seen as much stucco, old and new, as I have you being from the great white north and all.
Originally Posted By: jrooney This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Flex coat Paint on stucco is a wonderful solution to a common problem. If it is a true “elastomeric” Paint. One very important condition must have been taken into account. The stucco old new does not matter so long as it is hard and durable (not; spalling, badly cracked etc.). The paint must only be applied AFTER any cracks have been caulked or filled in some way and MOST important the wall has been sealed or “conditioned”. Read the manufacturers application directions.
What to do? once an elastomeric has been applied you must use an elastomeric to recoat. I know there is a group that says no not so but I'll guarantee my advice works if done properly. I did stucco for 25 years under the same conditions and heard it all. Only to have happen what is happening here. If the walls are bad enough that you can scrape the paint off in sheets the sealant was not applied. If you can only scrape a little bit at the cracks then you may get away with scrping there. Caulking as per manu. recommendations. and touching it up with same paint. Also if it scrapes off in sheets then the paint was NOT properly applied. Elastomeric properly applied does not come off. Sandblasting takes it off. There could be more here than just a few cracks as the elastomeric will in fact bridge small cracks in stucco.
As a home inspector I would try to peel a tab of paint and see if I could get the paint to peel. If so call it out as a potential deficiency.
Originally Posted By: Joe Funderburk This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Who cares? Since when is it the responsibility of a home inspector to determine why paint peels? I admit this is my first year in busines and that I’ve done less than 100 inspections, but I certainly don’t see the need to spend time on the internet trying to figure out why pain peels. Someone clue me in if I"m wong.
Originally Posted By: dedwards This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I tend to agree with Joe. As inspectors, we often go beyond what the job is suppose to entail and get over into an area that could leave us open for problems later on. I think most inspectors are inherently “problem solvers” but we have to be careful not to become the “answer man” for anything and everything we may find wrong with a home / system. That is why the prudent thing is to refer the clients to professionals in that particular discipline (i.e. the electrician, plumber, etc.) The danger could come in the form of…“My home inspector told me such and such.” We have just made ourselves legally responsible. I personally want to know why things are the way they are but that doesn’t mean I intend to share all my information with the client. The more you expound on causes, repair options the more you open yourselve up. If you think about it, most of the time people remember 30% of what you said and disregard the other 70%, hearing only what they want to hear giving rise to “But, I thought you said…”
Originally Posted By: jrooney This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
OK Joe I’ll clue you in. A question was asked and I answered. It’s just that simple. The more you learn the better you become as an inspector. This entire forum could be considered from that idea alone. You seem to think we are wasting ?our time about paint peeling. Why do you have enough time to be critical and not have any real input to add?
Originally Posted By: rcooke This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Joe Funderburk wrote:
Who cares? Since when is it the responsibility of a home inspector to determine why paint peels? I admit this is my first year in busines and that I've done less than 100 inspections, but I certainly don't see the need to spend time on the internet trying to figure out why pain peels. Someone clue me in if I"m wong.
JDF
I care the more I can learn the better I can understand things . I am not saying we should be telling the client how to fix all things. All people are not dumb they soon can tell if you know what you are talking about. If the client asks why do you think that paint is peeling on the wood siding they expect you to have some knowledge . If you say I do not know for all the questions then they start to wonder what do you know . If they ask why is the paint peeling of the siding and you can say I think we might have a moisture concern and we should look to see if that is what is causing the paint to peel they soon start to understand you just might be the smartest Home inspector they have had. I try to learn more every day .
Incidentally you might want to try spell check before you send your message
Originally Posted By: mcyr This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Sorry guys that it took this long. Just stumbled over it.
Been busy and that is not inspecting. Unfortunately, I am still building, but one of these days I will do this full time. Well, part time.
Larry, to answer your question, the product used around here is Manufactured by Sto., and have a product that would be appropriate for EIFS of real stucco.
Joe; With the clue of reality that you posted on that date, I would hopefully think that you absorbed the reply from Roy Cook.
To add to that post, I would like to point out that before you even intend to join NACHI if that were your hopes, your perspective of the problem of paint peeling would become of more importance to you.
100 Home Inspections does not mean you did your job adequately, especially with the attitude you just posted.
NACHI is about continued learning and education and also in the side lines of providing this education that we acquire over the years and share to our clients so we can educate them better as well as performing our job to the fullest.
