How To Know When You Need an Exterior Paint Redo

The exterior of your house is the first thing that people see when they are visiting you, or if people are casually passing by within your neighborhood. Your exterior paint color is the initial entity that is noticed about your home, and is truly the first impression. 

Even after conducting your dream paint job, time will pass, and you will eventually need to go through the grueling process of exterior painting all over again. Hiring commercial painters like us can bring you ease, while getting the job done properly and efficiently. But how do you know when exactly it is time for a paint redo? Take a look at our simple tips that will help you identify when the time is right.

Age of Your Home

The age of your home plays a big role in deciding on when it is time to repaint your house, and the age specifically correlates with the type of material your house was made with. For example, if your house was constructed with wood, you should repaint your home every 3-7 years, because the wood material is most susceptible to aging from the sun and damage from natural causes. Aluminum is pretty stable yet prone to chipping, so it is best to paint this about every 5-7 years. Brick is known to be the most stable and durable, so you will only need to paint your home every 15-20 years. 

Fading Paint Color

There comes a point where your exterior paint begins to look more dull than the initial paint job, or even completely discolored. This means that aging is taking place, and the paint may crack or chip very soon. Discoloration occurs more frequently and more abruptly when the house is exposed to constant amounts of harsh sunlight throughout the year, where the sun’s UV rays break the chemical bonds within your exterior paint. Constant rain is also a large factor in fading paint, because it results in water intrusion and possible water damage. 

Cracking Paint 

If you are not sure when your house was painted, there’s nothing to worry about. Keep your eye out for cracked or chipped paint, as this is a great indicator that your home needs to be repainted. Cracked or chipped paint can occur from age, a poor paint job initially, or if large amounts of moisture is getting trapped under your exterior paint. When paint cracks off of your house, the areas where the paint is missing will not be as protective, and it will be more vulnerable to bugs, water, and moisture. 

Chalking Paint

Even before your paint experiences cracking or chipping, it will begin chalking, causing a fine powder that comes off of your exterior walls very easily. Chalking eventually leads to fading of your paint’s color, and even damage to your walls because the paint will lose its protective functions. Chalking can occur from the use of poor quality paint, interior paint on exterior walls, or a too-thin top layer of paint on the initial job. Repainting your house when you notice chalking is beneficial to the overall look of your house, especially before the cracking and chipping of the paint begin to take effect. 

Debris on Paint

Debris on your exterior paint, such as dirt, mildew, or algae, can be an important sign that your house needs to be repainted. Dirt can stick on your paint consistently, mainly from wind blowing the dirt on to it. Pressure washing is worth a shot, but over time it will not be able to clean off enough of it. Mildew and algae on your exterior paint can occur from extreme amounts of moisture and humidity, and will stick if there is bad circulation within that area. They can also spread if not treated quickly, so if you notice a large amount of this it is best to redo that paint job. 

Outdated Paint Colors

Your home may be in pristine condition, including your exterior, but the color of the paint itself may be not attractive or in style anymore. When you begin to notice that your paint is an outdated color, it is time to repaint as well. The outdated color may not be extremely important to you or your family personally, but if you are looking to sell your house, you will need to ensure that your exterior color is up-to-date and within recent trends. This makes sure that your house is competitive in the market, and it boosts the value of your home as well.