Concerning cement, it’s important to do regular upkeep to avoid common problems. After you put it on your walls, It should be easy to look after. You might need to fix or clean it—a few spots.
Below are some ways to care for stucco that will help you avoid common problems and Make sure your siding will last as long as possible.
Stucco Preventative Maintenance 101
Most modern stucco is made from a mix of sand and cement, which gives it a very long life. Industry experts agree that well-maintained stucco lasts 50 to 80 years. But plaster must be kept up if it lasts as long as possible. Because of this, preventive upkeep is a must.
Indoor vs. Outdoor
Indoor stucco doesn’t need as much care as outdoor stucco because it’s usually in an environment where the temperature is managed, and the sun doesn’t beat down on it all day. But it still needs to be painted now and then.
On the other hand, stucco outside needs a lot more care. One problem is that it must deal with the sun all day, which can cause a lot of wear and tear. Outside, cement is also subject to wind, dirt, and dust, among other things. Most of the land and dust you’ll have to deal with comes from cars and trucks driving by.
Most outdoor concrete is easy to clean, which is a good thing. But that doesn’t mean you won’t have to fix some small things from time to time.
Checking your stucco once a week will tell you when it needs to be cleaned. If it was a while since been taken care of, try one of the following.
Stucco Preventative Maintenance: Cleaning Stucco
There are many ways to clean cement, including normal cleaning, advanced cleaning, and cleaning it outside.
Regular Cleaning
Because plaster is weak, it gets dirty, whether inside or outside. As long as the inside of your house is mostly clean and free of dust and dirt, you shouldn’t need much more than water and a little human grease to clean your stucco.
Usually, all you need to clean your internal cement is a soft-bristled nylon brush and some warm water. Don’t soak the brush — you want it to be damp. Use it to spread water over the surface and gently scrub. When you’re done, use a microfiber cloth to remove leftover dust.
Advanced Cleaning
If you don’t want something any more hard spots, stucco upkeep becomes more complicated.
Trisodium phosphate (TSP), a powerful chemical cleaner that can be bought at most home shops, is People in business use this phrase a lot. To use TSP well, you need to do some planning.
Using TSP Safely
It is essential to complete the necessary tasks when working with TSP. If you don’t, you might end yourself in hot water—Hurt, like chemical burns.
First, make sure your workspace has enough airflow. Open all the doors and windows around. If possible, ventilate the room and use a fan. Next, get some safety gear, like a long-sleeved shirt, gloves, and safety goggles.
When you are ready to work, mix the chemical with water to make it 15 times weaker than it was before. Use a cotton brush to put it on the plaster, and give it time to dry thoroughly. Most of the time, this takes a couple of hours.
Outdoor Cleaning
When it comes to outdoor concrete, it can take a lot of work to do preventive upkeep. This is because stucco that is outside is often much dirtier than stucco that is inside. So, keeping the stucco outside your home clean is all about being consistent.
You’ll need a power washer or a yard hose with a spray tool to clean outdoor cement. Use what you want to make a fine water mist on the plaster. Once wet, change the spray setting to a more concentrated one and blast the cement from top to bottom. If you spray down, dirt won’t get stuck at the bottom of the wall.
After you’re done cleaning, ensure no dirt is left behind. If you notice any, use a brush to remove them. Remove it by hand. Make sure to scrub softly so that you don’t hurt the stucco.
If you still see spots after this step, use a sprayer to apply your TSP solution straight to the dirty or darkened area. Then, give the stucco a lot of time to dry before rinse it again.
What Happens if Stucco Isn’t Repaired?
Stucco is hard and stiff by nature. This is one of the elements that influence it, but if the skin isn’t kept up well, it can also be bad. Over time, stucco can get chips, cracks, and holes in which mold, pests, and other bad things can hide. If you don’t take care of a small problem right away, it can quickly grow into a big one.
Even if your concrete looks fine from the outside, it could still be ruined on the inside. This kind of damage is a lot more sneaky and hard to find. A lot of people only see the signs once it’s too late.
If there are spots under your windows, it could mean that mold is growing under the stucco. Also, pay attention to how things smell. If your plaster smells like rotting wood, something is wrong.
Stucco Issues in Wayne, NJ? Contact the Experts at CMB Wayne Stucco & EIFS!
Remember that frequent maintenance is the key to success. Making your cement last as long as possible. A little care here and there is all it takes to keep your siding clean, strong, and nice-looking.
If your cement has problems, you should fix them immediately to keep them from worsening. So, CMB Wayne Stucco & EIFS comes into play. We know how to plaster correctly, so you can be sure your surfaces will look great for a long time.
Keep problems with your stucco from going unfixed. Get in touch with CMB Wayne Stucco & EIFS and tell us how we can help.
