Hey folks,
Tricky situation we’re facing in our area (Florida) so I thought I’d run it by all of you for your take on the issue…
Many homeowners are now complaining that their concrete block homes were built poorly as after the blowing rains of the hurricanes, the stucco has allowed water to penetrate the block and folks are finding wet carpet, moisture behind drywall, etc.
Some folks are pushing for having stricter code requirements like a rubber membrane required on the exterior wall or some means of waterproofing like you folks in the northern areas do for your basements.
Research has determined that not all homes are being properly sealed and may just have a layer of paint on top of the stucco. Some say sealing the block before stucco should be required.
I’m just baffled as homes have been built in Florida with CMU walls on slab-on-grade for the past 50 years and only within the past five years has it become an issue.
Is this a bona fide complaint or just a product of the hurricanes that can be expected? The newspapers are running rampant with it claiming builders are at fault. This is fueling the “moisture become a mold problem” in legal cases to epic proportion.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Mike
Replies
when I built my cmu house, it leak like a sieve. every blowing rain I had water in the floor. and this was with the block being filled with concrete. i ended up painting the outside with a "Sika' brand waterproofer with stucco on top of that. during hurricane Ivan I had no leaks.
Hi Mike,
I'm taking the builders side on this one!!! All concrete and masonry products are, by their very make up (read chemistry) pourous. The storms that came through my home state (GA resident now) were, atypical, to say the least. I lived in the west central part of the state for better than 35 yrs. and can only remember Camille (vaguely) in '68. A few other storms come to mind but..........lame in comparison to this past season.
These lawsuits are, at best frivolous, and no good can come from them. I suppose that these folks filing the suits are claiming improper installation, substandard materials/workmanship, non disclosure by the builder. Too bad for them. On the flip side, if the builder chose to use a mortar(brick only) not rated by the manufacturer for exterior use then...........shame on him.
It is my hope that people come to their senses and realize that "acts of God", as defined by the insurance industry (sore point) are not the fault of anyone, builders or otherwise.
Insofar as your question, in another lifetime I was exposed to a waterproofing product made by W.R. Grace that could be applied through an airless sprayer. Yes, it would be a big tip orifice but the product doesn't ever really cure and is self healing, which would allow for installation of exterior finishes via almost any nailing pattern or method.
Best Regards
Thanks for your reply NW...you too Brownbag,
Yeah, I kind of agree that anything related to a hurricane or similar storm is an anomaly and therefore really isn't anyone's "fault". The thing I think we are facing is that blame always has to be put on someone and there is that notion that someone is always responsible...no matter what!
Mike
Local Codes for waterproofing Stucco vary. Because there is no breathing room for the masonry, like brick veneer, 2 layers of 15 lb are required here; 3 in wet areas like the NW, and I think I'd have 4 in snow country. Weep Holes and kickout flashing to boot.
Regards,
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
they are two type of stucco. traditinal stucco is apply directly to the cmu. no felt paper is used. It is a direct bond with the cement in the block, becomes one unit.
With stucco applied directly to the CMU, there is no protection for moisture. A membrane on the inside of the home would not be effective, because the membrane has to be on the positive side of the moisture source. So while there might be two types of stucco, I would insist upon using a sealer behind the stucco. So going out, CMU, sealing mebrane (roll on membrane, sheet membrane, lathe, scratch coat, brown coat, and finish coat. This is the only truly effective way of reducing moisture into walls.Again, don't forget weep holes and kickout flashings.Regards,
Boris"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934