Signs It’s Time to Repaint Your Home’s Exterior

Knowing When It’s Time to Paint Your House

While you may not want to tackle a large financial home project, like painting your home’s exterior, good exterior paint can protect your home from the elements and improve your property’s curb appeal. Home exteriors should typically be painted every 5-10 years; the specific time for a repaint will depend on the quality of the paint as well as the type of exterior surface you have. Here are seven easily recognizable signs that you need to refresh your home’s painted exterior.

The Paint is Peeling, Flaking, or Cracking

If you notice physical signs of wear like cracking, peeling, bubbling, or flaking, it’s likely time for another paint job. These signs mean that the paint no longer adheres to the house well, and moisture may be underneath the paint. Exterior paint is also meant to aid in your home’s protection against the elements, and if the paint is cracking or peeling, your home’s structure can be exposed to fungi or other harmful elements. The sooner you repaint the better as you can save yourself from costly structural repairs.

The Siding is Fading

Color fades over time. Once was a vibrant, bold paint color may now be very faded. To restore the color, you will need to repaint your home’s exterior. When choosing your home’s exterior color, here are some bonus considerations:

• Lighter colors fade slower than bold, darker shades.
• Colors fade progressively, so you may not notice fading immediately (unless you check the original sample).
• The southern side of your home is exposed to harsher UV rays than the northern side, so it will fade quicker.

You Have Noticeable Water Damage or Stains

If your home needs an exterior repaint, you may notice mildew, mold, or water stains, which are not only hazardous for your health but are also unattractive. Before repainting, it is important that you remove the spores and identify the cause of the stains or growth (i.e. burst pipe, clogged gutter, etc.). While you can use over-the-counter chemicals to remove mold and mildew, you should also contact our professionals so that we can advise on your next best steps.

Dirt is Caking onto the Siding

Your home will get dirty; there’s no way to avoid that. Typically, you may consider pressure washing your home to get rid of built-up dirt, but sometimes even pressure washing will not remove some dirt stains. If excessive scrubbing and washing don’t remove the dirty appearance on your exterior, it is time for a paint job.

Your Paint is Chalking

If you live in an older home, you may notice chalk-like powder on your home, or it may get on your hands if you touch the exterior. This chalking means that the paint is deteriorating, and it’s time for some new paint.

You Can’t Remember When the Exterior Was Last Painted

If you can’t remember when your home was last painted, it’s probably due for a fresh coat. Even if you don’t notice any of the other signs, you can preemptively paint your home before signs of wear and tear appear.

You Are About to List Your Home

If you are selling your home, painting your house is an investment in your home’s value. Even though we are currently in a sellers’ market and are likely to get a great offer, you should still consider painting your house to improve your curb appeal and interest even more buyers. You don’t want a buyer’s first impression of your home to be jaded because of unappealing paint.

Let Us Handle the Painting

At Five Star Painting of Tampa Bay, our skilled professionals can work quickly and efficiently to repaint your home’s exterior. While most exterior painting projects take 3-4 days, the duration of the job will vary based on your home’s size and its current condition. We have a three-step painting process: prep, prime, and paint, and we are committed to providing high-quality service. Our exterior painters can work with a host of exterior surfaces, including but not limited to wood or vinyl siding, stucco or brick surfaces, aluminum, and composite siding.