Lanai deck issues
 

Hi, anyone else having / had any issues with (rain) water, running off the Lanai deck, (thru expansion cuts) and then getting behind the paint on the vertical wall area of the lanai?

It seems to follow the cinder blocks that make up the wall.

See photos.

We’ve got T&D coming out for a look. House is going on 3 yrs old. I’ve noticed it on my neighbors house as well.

Not sure if it’s similar problem but our friends in St Catherine had the same issues. They are on the second fix.

Water typically does not flow up a wall. I am guessing that you have some foundation settling. This can cause cracking at the stress cuts, and if the settling is severe enough then you will see cracks in the block wall. IMHO I would call home warranty and have a discussion with them. When we bought (2013) the house had a 10 year foundation warranty.

not water. . . agree, and even if it did flow down, wouldn't have significant ability to generate cracks. . the houses are basically build on sand, and laid on the top of the sand, not down in the sand where compression has made the base more compressed. . I believe that this is why TV construction has moved away from block built into solid walls.

We have a designer, and if you go along the long sides, from front to back, we find fine cracks in the stucco, which with wind driven rain, can force water into the walls and into the house. . . Hurricane Helene blew rain through the walls into our house in several areas. The best maintenance for that is sealing and repainting every 4-5 years.

Around the lanai, does the yard slope away from the road? do you have gutters on the roof draining the water away from the foundation?

lets us know what warranty says if you call them. .

I also agree stucco cracking from settling. I would just get some stucco patch score the crack fill in and paint over it. Stucco going to cracks over years. Might as well get some training in early repairing it or pay the piper.

Blew water in through walls? I doubt it? Probably blew in from soffits vents and ran down inside? The stucco just siding, attached by mud and screening to framing wall what even it’s made out of cinder block, form concrete, or wood?

[QUOTE=Topspinmo;2450333]I also agree stucco cracking from settling. I would just get some stucco patch score the crack fill in and paint over it. Stucco going to cracks over years. Might as well get some training in early repairing it or pay the piper.[


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You can have a professional look at it.

Thanks for the input. I had my mind made up on water, but settling is probably the cause for the cracks. We had a crack on the Lanai deck (shortly after move in) and T&D said if it’s under 1/4” they consider it cosmetic and not structural. I’m sure they will stick with that.

There is a slope away from the lanai and it’s all birdcage covering the deck and pool. So no gutters.

If you do a DIY repair make sure you clean the cracks with bleach and water a couple days before you caulk. Also make sure you get the correct caulking for the concrete and that it’s paintable. It would be nice if T&D would repair it for you but don’t hold your breath

Believe it. I repair cracks in stucco every spring but missed one year. Milton and Helene drove rain through a bedroom wall and soaked the carpet. An evaluation from a restoration company determined it was not from the roof or soffits. Pulled up carpet revealed a crack in the floor where the water entered (no other evidence of foundation damage such as uneven floor). I repaired the stucco and floor cracks and let the carpet dry out. Repainted the entire outside to help protect against the weather. I’m more diligent about keeping ahead of repairs.

Water can certainly go "up" a wall. Water will always take the path or least resistance, whether that's up (wicking)or down

Your Lanai slab should have a vapor barrier under it. I can't imagine anyone pouring a slab on grade, without one. I would bet anything, the original construction documents provided a detail/standard for the slab, that showed compaction requirements, stone requirements, wire mesh & a vapor barrier. Whether the slab was actually constructed to spec, is a whole other story.

A crack of 1/4" is not cosmetic. If the crack is that large, it's an indication of poor workmanship and it's probably going to get worse, no matter what you do to try to cosmetically fix it.