5 Simple Ways To Tell if You Need To Paint Your Exterior

Exterior painting is certainly important because of the protection and value it offers, but it’s also an awesome opportunity for simply having fun. This is a chance to make your home your own, and let your personality shine through.

Spring has sprung, and summer is here, it’s beautiful. You want your home to match the splendor of the season, but on closer inspection of your home’s exterior, you may notice a few problems. Many of those can mean you need a fresh paint job to keep everything safe from those April showers – and more.

Here are just a few warning signs that you should probably have your home’s exterior repainted.

1. Damaged Stucco and Wood

We’ve heard a thousand times that someone sold a homeowner on a special stucco or wood that would never need painting again. Then, one day they look outside and see cracks in the stucco or rotting planks of wood. Every home exterior needs protection, no matter how advanced the material is. No stucco or wood is invincible. If you find yourself needing to replace elements of your home’s exterior, we recommend getting it repainted to make sure everything is properly secure and guarded against the weather.

2. Peeling Paint

When those little strips of paint start to flake off of your home, you need to take action. They’re a warning sign that your home is exposed and could be damaged by the rain and sun. Peeling paint means your wood or other siding is exposed, and that leads to rot, along with mold and mildew. The longer you leave it, the more these problems grow. Leave it for enough time, and they’ll even find their way inside your home. The good news is that a fresh coat of paint with quality preparation beforehand can ensure your home’s exterior is not at risk for water damage or any other harm.
Peeling paint can mean poor paint application or a moisture backup behind the wood clapboard siding. This unsightly peeling and cracking will have to be scrapped, sanded, primed, and repainted. Narrow shims behind the clapboard will help to vent the moisture.

3. Fading

Faded paint indicates an exposed area of your home and is one of the first flags that you need to have your exterior repainted. Fading is actually your friend because it means you’re typically catching things early enough. Not sure if it’s fading or just a bad job matching a previous color? Take a rag and rub it against your siding firmly. If you see chips come off, your home is missing the protection that it needs and you need to re-paint. Moisture will harm your siding and cause anything from warping to mold.

4. Cracked Caulking

Often found near doors and windows, cracks in your caulking indicate there’s a sealing problem with your home’s exterior. You might have water, weather or bugs invade from the outside. Take a look around these areas in your home where the siding connects to corners and joints. Fresh caulking can be used to fill small cracks, but any major gaps and missing elements likely mean there’s enough potential for harm that you want full preparation and a new coat of paint to help protect your home.

5. You Want a Fresh New Look

The best reason may be just You Want a New Look. Not every new coat of paint happens because there’s something wrong.

Sometimes homeowners are just in the mood for a new look and want their home to match their changing style or lifestyle. There’s nothing wrong with a fresh coat that gives you an amazing look to make the neighbors jealous. As an added bonus, you can protect your home from the elements and have a new look that lasts for years to come.

If you’re planning an exterior painting project this summer or fall, call us now for a free estimate. It would be our pleasure to serve you at Korth & Shannahan Painting & Carpentry call 914-238-5388.