Siding and stucco in St. George
Stucco, stone and fiber cement are all common on St. George homes. Whatever the cladding, it lives with extreme heat, irrigation spray and the occasional storm that sends water across a yard.
Heat
A reading of 117°F at the St. George cooperative weather station on July 10, 2021 tied Utah's all-time maximum temperature record. Wall surfaces in afternoon sun get much hotter than the air. Stucco expands and contracts with every hot day and cool night, and hairline cracks follow. Paint chalks and fades, and dark colors absorb the most heat. Vinyl siding can soften and warp near reflective windows. Ask how the product you're choosing handles heat, which colors the manufacturer recommends for full sun, and what the finish warranty says about fading.
Hard water on walls
The City of St. George says most water in Southern Utah is hard because of naturally occurring calcium and magnesium. Sprinklers that spray walls leave white mineral rings and streaks on stucco and stone that are hard to remove. Adjust or replace heads that hit the house, switch shrub beds near walls to drip, and ask the contractor how they'd clean existing mineral stains before painting or sealing. Water that keeps soaking the base of a wall also stains and breaks down the finish coat.
Storm runoff
In January 2005, a rain-on-snow event caused severe flooding along the Santa Clara River in St. George, with damage to homes estimated at $300 million. Most storms are smaller, but short, intense rain still splashes mud onto walls and pushes water against the base. Stucco needs a weep screed at the bottom so water inside the wall can drain out, and soil and landscape rock should stay a few inches below it. Ask the contractor to check the base of your walls before any repair.
Wind and dust
Spring and summer winds carry fine sand and dust that settle on textured stucco and dull the color, and grit wears the finish on the windward walls. A soft wash with low-pressure water cleans stucco without forcing water into cracks. Ask whether an elastomeric or acrylic finish coat would hold its color better on the walls that take the most wind and sun.
Cracks
Wide cracks or cracks that keep growing can point to foundation movement rather than surface wear. If repairs keep failing in the same place, ask whether a foundation evaluation should come first.
Before you hire
Ask for bids with the same scope: removal or patching, lath and weather barrier, flashing, the stucco or siding system, color coat or paint, and cleanup. Get both warranties in writing. For jobs of $7,000 or more, ask for the contractor's Utah license from the Division of Professional Licensing.