Pro Tips: How Often to Paint House Exterior
You wouldn’t think that the exterior of your home would need to be painted every few years, but unfortunately it does.
The harsh weather of Philadelphia can be damaging to the exterior of your home, and certain parts will inevitably wear out faster than others. In order to protect your most valuable investment and boost your curb appeal, we have compiled some tips to guide you on how often to paint house exterior.
How do you know when it’s time to paint?
Here are 3 signs it’s time to repaint the exterior of your house.
Wear & Tear
The most obvious signs that your home’s exterior needs a fresh coat of paint include cracking, peeling, and bubbling. This essentially means that paint is no longer adhering to the house. It’s best to have a professional assess the issues and potential damage that lies beneath before attempting to repair and paint yourself.
Wear and tear is most commonly associated with wood siding and stucco. On average, you can expect to paint your wood siding every 7 to 8 years and stucco every 10-12 years. However, with an expertly painted exterior, you can get more longevity out of your project.
Fading
Faded paint is not a serious concern, but can be somewhat of an eyesore to your neighbors. If the house is faded more in certain areas, the sun may be leaching pigment from your paint, which means you should probably repaint the exterior of your home soon.
Fading is most commonly associated with aluminum and vinyl siding. We recommend painting your aluminum siding every 5 to 10 years. However, well-maintained, painted aluminum siding can last up to 25 years.
Cracked Caulk or Glazing
Caulk and glazing prevents air infiltration and water loss in the spaces between your home’s exterior walls and windows or doors. Over time, caulk and glazing becomes brittle, loses elasticity, and can crack and fall away. Paintable caulk and glazing will mask the repair for areas that will not be visible after painting.
What affects the longevity of an exterior painting job?
The longevity of your house’s paint job depends on a few factors. The biggest three are how the home was painted previously, climate and weather, and how the house has been maintained over time.
The weather plays a big role in how long your paint job will last. If you live in a climate with harsh winters, intense storms, or high humidity, these can cause your paint job to age more quickly.
How to prepare your home to ensure your paint job lasts
By making a few simple preparations before beginning a new paint job, you can help ensure that the new paint job lasts for as long as possible.
Start by removing any mold, rotten wood, cracks, holes in stucco and more. Fill in any cracks and caulk seams. We recommend sandblasting or power washing your surfaces in advance for the best results. After washing away the chipped paint and smoothing the surface, make sure your house has the chance to fully dry before you begin painting.
Hire the pros at Heiler Painting for your next exterior paint job!
When you need your home’s exterior painted, look no further than Heiler Painting. We’ll help you narrow down your color and finish options to achieve the perfect look. Contact the exterior home painting experts at Heiler Painting today at 610-818-7920 to get a free estimate!
