Here’s a small detail that leads to big problems: covered or badly installed weep screeds. It’s one of the most common things I find on stucco homes in Arizona, and one of the easiest for homeowners to check themselves.
What is a weep screed?
A weep screed is the metal strip along the bottom edge of a stucco wall. Stucco isn’t waterproof. Water that gets behind it runs down the wall and needs a way out, and the weep screed is that exit. It also gives you a visible gap between the stucco and the foundation.
What goes wrong
- Buried by landscaping: rock, soil or mulch piled up over the screed.
- Sealed over: stucco, paint or caulk covering the drainage edge.
- Skipped entirely: I even find it missing on some new builds.
Blocking the screed traps moisture inside the wall. That creates the perfect setup for mold, rot and termites. It also hides the bottom of the wall, so you can’t see termite mud tubes coming up from the soil.
How to check your home
- Walk around the house and look at the bottom of the stucco. You should see the metal edge and a few inches of foundation below it.
- Pull back rock and soil so they sit below the screed, and slope the ground away from the house.
- Keep sprinklers and drip lines from soaking that area.
- Don’t let painters or stucco crews seal the bottom edge shut.
A quick visual check now can save you costly repairs later. For more warning signs, read how to spot termites in your Arizona home. Every home inspection I do includes a termite inspection.
Watch the video
See what a good and a buried weep screed look like in the video above, or watch it on YouTube. Book your inspection online or call 623-399-0079.
Property Inspections Plus is a Gilbert, AZ home inspection company led by Certified Master Inspector Dan Pierce. We inspect homes across the East Valley, the Phoenix metro and the rest of Arizona. See all of our service areas.
