Stucco Specialist
Advanced Building Strategies has certifications in the following:
- Building Science Thermography
- Level One Thermography
- Moisture Warranty Corporation
- Certified Moisture Analyst & Quality Control Inspector
- Certified EIFS Inspector
- Certified Building Envelope Inspector
- Member of International Code Council
- National Association of Home Builders
Advanced Building Strategies Specializes In:
- Stucco Inspection and Repair
EIFS Inspection
Brick Inspection
Stone Inspection
Faux Stone Inspection
Siding Inspection
Stucco problems really increased when we started making buildings more airtight as a result of the oil embargo back in the 70's. Buildings used to leak air which was not energy efficient, but it allowed moisture to escape, not the case now.
Stucco exterior walls of new and old buildings suffer from failures related to structural integrity or water penetration mostly the result of unsupervised construction. Symptoms may include cracking in the stucco, water leakage into the wall cavities and around the windows and doors evidenced by staining, buckling, or disintegration of surfaces. This can lead to mold growth within the wall cavities. ABS provides investigative services to assess these critical problems. In diagnosing these failures and identifying repair alternatives, ABS performs a thorough evaluation to determine if problems are due to installation failure, design or construction defect.
ABS specializes in investigating stucco & EIFS applications suffering from structural distress and water penetration damage. ABS's experts have experience working with a variety of building materials including stucco, EIFS, brick, stone, faux stone and vinyl siding. Problems typically occur when design or construction deficiencies are not discovered prior to project completion. The problem really stems from the building codes not addressing proper stucco installation until the 2006 version of the IRC (International Residential Code). The older version (2003) did not incorporate ASTM C-926 & ASTM C- 1073 into their code requirements. These ASTM standards lay out very clearly how stucco is to be installed. AMD investigates problems through visual assessment, testing, research, and analysis to determine causes, consequences and potential remedies for the problems. A thorough understanding of the building codes is essential in preparing expert witness testimony in stucco and EIFS failures.
Non-Destructive Testing
The goal in forensic investigative work is to determine the existing conditions of the structure in question. Some investigative options, e.g. cutting out a section of stucco or removing a brick veneer to see what is behind it, significantly alter the conditions found in the field. Sometimes there’s no choice but to remove a section of stucco to determine thickness, if it was applied in three coats/layers or if it was just a heavy scratch coat with a thin finish, the type of WRB (weather resistant barrier) or condition of substrate. Therefore, methods that have little effect on the existing conditions, i.e., non-destructive methods, are highly desirable. Non-destructive testing (NDT) is a powerful tool used by ABS investigators during structural evaluations and facade investigations. ABS has developed extensive expertise in NDT such as the use of infra-red thermography, moisture mapping and mold detection dogs. This is done in order to gain an understanding of the existing conditions of structures at the least cost and disruption to the client.
Advanced Building Strategies
610-328-9393 / 1-800-550-6319
