Contrary to popular belief, painting exterior surfaces regularly goes beyond aesthetics. When done right, a paint job will preserve the value of your home and protect it from the outdoor elements. But how do you know when your home needs a new coat of paint? If you’re unsure, here are three telltale signs that indicate it’s time to repaint your home.
- Fading color – Loss of color due to prolonged exposure to UV radiation may not seem like a serious issue. But sunlight not only affects paint pigments; it also affects the molecular structure of coatings, gradually degrading them. Therefore, exterior surfaces looking dull and washed out are the first indication that the paint film is deteriorating. If your home’s exterior has faded, it’s time to call in residential painting contractors and repaint your home.
Good to know:
– Bold, darker shades tend to fade more quickly than light colors.
– Because colors fade progressively, identifying how much fading has occurred can be difficult. One way to determine the degree of fading is to check the original sample or leftover paint against the existing paint film.
– In Florida, the southern sides of buildings are exposed to fiercer UV rays than north-facing surfaces. As a result, the surfaces with southern exposure fade and deteriorate faster.
– Sometimes, color fading is caused by chalky residue. Excessive chalking erodes the paint film until it no longer provides an effective barrier against the elements. If there’s any chalky residue on your exterior surfaces, consider it a warning sign to repaint your home. - Cracking or peeling paint – If you observe any areas of cracking or peeling paint, you need to repaint your home as soon as possible. These areas will continue to deteriorate as they’re exposed to moisture, water and the sun’s heat. With exterior surfaces that have been damaged, waiting too long increases the risk of exposing the structure of your home to the elements. Eventually, you’ll be faced with many costly repairs.
Good to know:
– If your paint film is cracking, peeling or flaking off, it’s no longer able to protect the structural elements of your home. When this happens, the bare wood will be exposed to wood-destroying fungi, which can jeopardize the structural soundness of your house.
– Repairing peeling or cracking paint, or painting your entire home every few years is less expensive than fixing structural damage. - Mold and water stains – Mold, mildew and water stains are some common, persistent problems in Florida. But stains aren’t just unsightly; they can also be a symptom of a much bigger issue and a potential health hazard. Hence, our professional paint contractors advise you to properly identify and address the underlying causes of mold, mildew and water stains, and repaint your home as soon as possible.
Good to know:
– Always use the right chemicals to get rid of mildew and mold. Painting over mold spores will only make the problem worse, even when the right anti-mold paint products are used.
– There are many different causes of water stains and mold growth. If you intend to repaint your home, make sure you check for burst water pipes, roof leaks, clogged gutters and cracks in walls first.
Your exterior paint job may still look good after several years. But don’t forget that each coating system has a predefined life span. While most high-quality paints last between 7 and 10 years, the life expectancy of less expensive products doesn’t exceed 6 years of service. If you know the type of paint used in your current paint job, make sure you repaint your home before the coating reaches the end of its life, even if there are no visible signs of deterioration.
For quality craftsmanship in repairing and painting various surfaces in Jacksonville, Tampa and other locations across north-east-central Florida, you can trust our professionals at Performance Painting Contractors. In addition to being trained, licensed and insured, our residential painting contractors are able to identify the early signs of paint deterioration and fix them using premium products. To learn more about our services and the products we use, or to require a free painting estimate, please reach out to our friendly customer service team today.