Signs it’s Time to Repaint your Home’s Exterior
Painting

Signs it’s Time to Repaint your Home’s Exterior

Posted on December 5, 2017

No one wants to take on a big financial and disruptive project like painting the exterior of your home. Unfortunately, letting an exterior paint job go an extra couple of years can cause damage to your house. Paint is the first line of defense for your house against the elements. So how do you know if it’s really time to paint? Here’s 6 signs it’s time to repaint your house exterior.

Wear and Tear

If the paint has started to show signs of wear and tear, it’s time to consider a paint job. Physical signs of wear include cracking, peeling and bubbling. Any of these show that the paint is no longer adhering to the house. Moisture is being allowed to penetrate the paint film and cause issues beneath. It’s best to have a professional assess the issues and potential damage that lies beneath.

Fading

Faded paint, while not a terrible issue, can make your house look sad and tired. If the house is faded more on particular areas, the sun is leaching the pigments from your paint. It’s probably a good idea to paint. Even though there is no physical damage happening, your house can still be a sort of an eyesore.

Selling

A fresh exterior paint job can increase your curb appeal and potentially bring you some bucks at the closing table. Before you list your home, it’s a good idea to at least get a consult from a professional. They will be able to tell you if the cost of an exterior painting outweighs the cost associated with it.

Gaps

If you are seeing areas around your home where it looks like the house is pulling away from door and window frames, it’s probably time. Most likely you will need your home caulked to fill in the gaps. A professional will be able to tell you if moisture has leached into the wood and caused any issues you should be concerned with. Any place where you can see gaps should be addressed.

Cracked caulk

Caulk is used to seal areas between the walls and windows or doors. It’s used to keep your home sealed tight. Over time, it gets brittle, loses elasticity and can crack and fall away. Any area where there was caulk and now is not should be corrected. There is paintable caulk for cracks that will show immediately if repaired. You will have to paint over them to mask the repair.

Time

If you are lucky and your paint doesn’t show signs of failure, it could still be time to redo it. Even if you don’t see these signs, repainting is a good idea if the appropriate amount of time has passed. It means that the paint has done its job and protected your house with a good paint film for years. If you can’t remember when your house was last painted, or it’s been a decade or more, call a professional to avoid damage.

So how often does your house need to be painted?

Exteriors should be painted every 5 to 10 years, depending on the quality of paint and craftsmanship it was painted with last time.

Here are some guidelines based on exterior surface:

  • Wood surfaces need to be painted every 3 to 7 years.
  • Aluminum siding needs to be painted about every 5 years.
  • Stucco should be repainted every 5 to 6 years.

If you’re seeing any of the failure signs, give us a call. We offer free, in-home estimates for paint jobs. Contact us today to set yours up.

Remember when you last painted the exterior of your home? Or gave your deck a nice new coat of stain? It felt so great just looking at the finished work – your home looked renewed and refreshed. Wouldn’t it be nice to look at your home and enjoy that feeling again?

But it’s been a few years; most of us can’t quite remember how long ago it really was. So how do you know when it’s time to repaint your home’s exterior?

Maybe you’re inspired by a great new color combination that caught your eye, and you think it would be perfect for your home. Or perhaps you’re just tired of the current color and want to make a subtle shift. Either way, we have plenty of color ideas to help you choose.

If you’re still happy with the color, painting may be necessary due to your home’s condition. CertaPro Painters® recommends doing a walk around your home’s exterior and keeping this checklist handy:

  • Are your soffits, trim, or fascia cracking, peeling or flaking?
  • Is your siding fading or chalking (a cast that can be noticed when you rub your fingers across the surface)?
  • Is there any discoloration on the siding, especially on the sunny side of the home?
  • Are there any signs of wood rot? Look for soft spots in your wood siding that have more exposure to water.
  • Is your front door color looking dirty or dull?

Any of these conditions may indicate the need for repair and repainting your home’s exterior. Protect your investment – contact your CertaPro Painters® to schedule a free estimate.