Every spring, North Jersey stucco contractors start getting the same calls.
Homeowners have noticed holes in their exterior. Some small. Some surprisingly large. Almost all made by woodpeckers.
And almost all of them are more serious than the homeowner realized.
Why woodpeckers target EIFS.
EIFS — Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems — has a rigid foam insulation layer just behind the finish coat. That foam is easy to work through. Much easier than wood or traditional masonry.
Woodpeckers — Downy, Hairy, and Northern Flicker species are all common throughout New Jersey — target EIFS either to forage for insects they believe are behind it, or to excavate nesting and roosting cavities.
What homeowners don’t realize: the hole visible from outside is only a fraction of the actual damage. A bird working into EIFS foam can excavate a cavity several inches deep and several inches wide while leaving an entry hole that looks like a minor issue from the curb.
That cavity becomes a moisture trap as soon as rain reaches it.
The moisture problem.
EIFS is designed to manage water through a drainage plane behind the system.
A bird hole bypasses that drainage plane entirely. It’s a direct opening into the foam insulation layer. Water entering through the hole gets trapped in the cavity, saturates the foam, reaches the substrate, and begins the cycle of moisture damage that can affect sheathing and framing.
The longer the hole sits unrepaired, the more moisture accumulates. A hole addressed quickly is a minor repair. The same hole after a wet season may require substrate assessment and treatment in addition to patching the EIFS.
Hard coat stucco homes are less susceptible to deep cavity formation — the material resists excavation better. But woodpecker holes in traditional stucco still break the exterior envelope and should be repaired properly.
What a correct repair involves.
Filling a bird hole correctly is not a DIY project for most homeowners.
It requires assessing the cavity depth. Removing any moisture-compromised foam. Filling the cavity with compatible material in layers — not all at once, which causes shrinkage and cracking. Applying a base coat that integrates with the surrounding EIFS system. Applying a finish coat that matches the existing texture and color.
That last step is where most attempts fall short. EIFS finish coats are typically proprietary blends. Matching them requires experience with the material and an understanding of how color shifts as it cures and ages.
A structurally correct repair that looks like an obvious patch is not a finished job.
Deterrence after repair.
Woodpeckers are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. No lethal control.
After the repair, deterrents that work include visual options — reflective tape, owl decoys — and physical barriers over vulnerable sections. Changing the surface texture of the repaired area can also reduce the likelihood of birds returning to the same spot.
A contractor with experience in this type of repair can walk you through the deterrence options when they’re on site.
Hard coat stucco versus EIFS: different repairs.
The repair process differs depending on which system the holes are in.
EIFS bird holes require removing and replacing the foam cavity material before patching. Skipping that step and filling the void directly produces a repair that shrinks, cracks, and fails within a season.
Hard coat stucco holes are typically shallower — the material resists excavation better. Patching requires proper crack preparation, compatible patching compound applied in appropriate layers, and a finish coat that matches the surrounding texture and color.
Both require the same end result: a watertight seal and a finish that blends in. Neither is a one-step process.
For homeowners in Bergen County.
For bird hole stucco repair in Hackensack, NJ and the surrounding area, Plaster Pro Stucco Contractors has been handling this type of work on both EIFS and traditional stucco systems for over 25 years.
The simple version.
One bird hole is enough to call someone.
It’s a single point of water intrusion. The repair is straightforward when caught early. It gets more expensive the longer the cavity is exposed to rain.
Don’t wait through another wet season on this one.
