Category: Home Improvement

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7 Ways to Check for Water Damage in Your Stucco Home

1. Damp Looking at Stucco

Now, getting wet stucco should be fine only sometimes. It will make sense that it is wet once it has rained. If it is still damp a week after the rainy weather, on the other hand, it indicates that water has seeped into the stucco. There can also be areas of the wall that consistently seem moist. Keep a close eye on those since that’s where water may be entering.

2. Cracks 

Cracks in the stucco can identify the presence of water behind your stucco. However, there is no need for an alarm because it does not indicate that you have suffered permanent damage. However, given that this shows that water has made its way inside, you must act right away to keep the situation from worsening.

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3. Missing Chunks of Stucco

Check the stucco on your home to see if any large chunks of the siding have broken off and fallen off. This damage on the surface is evidence that water has penetrated deeper and is causing problems there.

4. Cracks and Bubbles at the Bottom of the Wall

During your check, you should pay close attention to the bottom borders and observe whether there are any noticeable fractures or bubbles. Like everything else, water is subject to the laws of gravity and will always flow downward. This suggests that most of the damage is likely concentrated toward the base of the wall.

5. Window Caulking Damage

Do you notice any gaps or cracks in the window caulking around your window? This indicates that water has penetrated the stucco and is causing damage. You will also need to have those windows replaced if it has been there for a significant amount of time. Because of this, it is extremely important to perform routine inspections of the stucco.

6. Soft Drywall

You are going inside at this time to get on with your research. Touch the sheetrock that is located underneath your windows. Does it have a gentle texture when you touch it? This is another unmistakable indication of water damage. In situations like these, that piece of the drywall will need to be rebuilt, and the stucco on the outside will also need to be repaired.

7. Basement Moisture

Finally, go to your basement so you may inspect the drywall there. You’ll notice that if there’s water in the stucco, it might lead to dampness on the walls. This is something you should keep an eye out for. However, this isn’t the only thing that might cause this, so before you start working to fix the issue, ensure you eliminate any other potential causes first.

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How to Stop Mildew from Growing in the Bathroom

Mold can grow in any part of the bathroom. Most of the time, it grows in the nooks and crannies, but it can also grow on the tiles. Mold usually grows in bathrooms because of high humidity, but it can also grow there because of poor hygiene. In a bathroom, humidity tends to gather around the shower, the toilet, the pipes, and any surfaces that come into contact with water, like the tiles, walls, floor, and ceiling.

How can you keep mildew from growing in the bathroom? It’s important to clean thoroughly and frequently and to follow some basic safety rules.

Signs of a Moldy Bathroom

Mold isn’t always obvious at first glance. When there are only a few mold spores or they are just starting to grow, we can tell by the smell that they are there. It’s also a good idea to check the tiles because a porous layer could form in the spaces between them.

How to Keep Mold from Your Bathroom

To stop mold from spreading, the relative humidity should be kept low. Because of this, there are some safety precautions that can’t be ignored:

  1. Check to see if there are any leaks in the bathroom. You can do this as you clean other parts of the house.
  2. All hard surfaces, like tile floors and walls, need to be cleaned and then dried.
  3. It is important to clean soft surfaces like the shower curtain on a regular basis.
  4. Make sure the curtain or door to the shower cubicle is pulled all the way back and shut completely when you take a shower to limit how much water gets on the floor and walls.
  5. Make sure the room has enough airflow by keeping the doors and windows open after each shower.
  6. After you’re done with your shower, you should clean up and dry the room.
  7. After hanging the mats and towels outside so they can get some fresh air, bring them back inside and rearrange them only when they are no longer damp.
  8. Install a fan that turns on when you are in the shower.

Tips for Cleaning a Moldy Bathroom

It’s not always necessary to use traditional detergents that you can buy in stores to get rid of mold. There are natural medicines that have been shown to work just as well as their synthetic counterparts, and they don’t hurt the environment either.

After figuring out that mold is growing in the cracks and other places, use a toothbrush that has been dipped in a mixture of the juice of half a lemon, 100 milliliters of vinegar, and 250 milliliters of water. If the mold doesn’t come out easily, add baking soda.

Using one cup of baking soda and one cup of white vinegar, wash the shower curtain regularly in the washing machine. If it is plastic, it is best to let it soak in water with detergent and vinegar for a while. Make sure it’s completely dry before you start putting it together.