I have a stucco finish on my home and I recently had a patio installed off the kitchen. I noticed that any time it rains water seems to be absorbed about a foot or so up the stucco from the base of the patio. My builder told me that there is a water membrane between the foundation/house and the stucco so I shouldn’t worry about the framing members getting damaged. I know the foundation has a bullfrog membrane and I think the house was tar papered before the stucco was applied. Does this sound right and if not what are some alternatives to ripping out the patio to put a membrane in. I was thinking of cutting a groove in the stucco near the base of the patio and fill the groove with color matched caulk to prevetn the wickage and keep the moisture below the sill plate. Any ideas/comments would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Replies
Assuming that the patio is pitched away from the house for proper run-off, I doubt much of the damp area you are seeing is due to wicking. It's likely more a result of splashing/splattering rainwater. So I doubt a small, caulked, groove is going to solve the "problem".
The foundation should continue up higher than one foot above grade, so sheathing being affected in the area you are describing should not be an issue.
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