How Often Should You Paint Your Home’s Exterior? 

Protecting your home is essential to the value of your property. A fresh coat of paint is your home’s first line of defense against the environment. So how often should you paint an exterior wall?
The answer depends on several factors, including how good your last painter was, where you live, and the type of outside wall that you have on your home. In this piece we will go over some key criteria which must be taken into consideration repainting. There are a lot of great customer-focused painters across the US who are geared toward helping homeowners make educated decisions about their specific needs. If you have any hesitation about whether it is time to make the investment into painting, give your local professional painting company a call and they can help you with your first inquiry. 

Factors To Consider When Determining How Frequently To Repaint: ​​

Climate is going to play a big role when determining your long term painting budget. Living in places with extreme weather or near a coastline is going to hit your house hard. Salt in the air, constant sunshine, or intense storms can immediately shorten the lifespan of your paint job and leave your house vulnerable to degradation.

Simple observations of your home’s previous work will tell you how protected your house can be. Things like thin paint coverage or many old colors stacked up will naturally not protect your home as well as a newly painted coat of paint directly on the surface. If you see chipping or flaking that can be a sign of poor application or long term exposure to severe weather. If your house is vulnerable to extreme weather it makes sense to invest more heavily and more often into new paint rather than use that money to replace rotted wood or replace unprotected siding. 

Older homes will be especially susceptible to weather and should be protected at a higher level than a new home construction. 

Signs Your Home Needs New Paint

You can see if your home needs new paint using your eyes and your fingernails. Walk around your house slowly. Look up in the eaves (where the roof overhangs the walls) and the fascia (the board that runs parallel to the roofline). Look for faded colors, peeling, or flaking. Is there exposed wood anywhere that you can see? Are there bubbles or chips?
If you find one of these then it’s time to use your fingernail. Pick at it a little bit. Is it coming off easy? Is it coming off in sheets? If you grab a corner can you peel off paint in large swaths? This is a sign that the paint is no longer adhering and your house may be exposed to excess moisture.
Do you see and cracks or gaps in the wall?
If it is fall when you do this walk don’t wait. Winter is when the most damage can be done to your house, when storms blow moisture sideways into the cracks and holes and exacerbate what was a simpel fix. Call your local exterior painting company and ask if they have room in their schedule to fit you in before winter starts. You will not regret investing in a sealed and warm house before the cold comes.

The benefits of painting your house regularly

Regularly painting the exterior of your home can provide a number of advantages that make it worth considering.
Acts As a Barrier: Paint acts as a protective barrier against harsh weather and other environmental factors, which could otherwise cause damage over time leading to much more costly repairs like drywall replacement, replacing wood, removing mold and rot. Regular painting helps avoid this kind of wear and tear so your property avoids those expenses for longer.
Enhancing Curb Appeal – The first thing people see when they come or pass by is your home’s exterior. Giving it regular coats will keep its appearance looking sharp and may even help set yours apart from similar houses in neighborhood – great if you ever decide to sell up!
Increasing Property Value – Keeping up with maintenance like regular painting not only looks nice but also adds value to your house; making it more appealing potential buyers who might be willing pay extra for well-maintained properties, plus gives lenders confidence if applying for refinancing or taking out equity loans.
Early Detection Of Problems – Another advantage gained through routine repainting is early detection of any underlying issues before things become much worse down the line, saving money on expensive repair costs later on too.
If you are unsure about how often paint job needs done, consult with local professional painter who can give you advice based on your location and type of home. 

How to choose the right painter for your home

If you do decide to paint your next step will be choosing the right painter to work on your home. The painting industry has a lot of different personalities and it’s important to find someone that is well respected in the community and is someone you can trust. Here are a couple steps you can follow to make sure you hire a painter you like.

1. Call more than one. Painters are not all made the same and it’s important to compare services and prices amongst painters in your area.
2. Make sure you get an in person estimate. If a painter can’t even make it to a sales appointment in time then you know they aren’t going to be organized enough to do a proper job on all the details. Every appointment should include an in person walkaround and a written quote. If they communicate poorly with you leading up to the appointment or during the walkaround you can safely find another contractor to do the work. 
3. Written Estimate. This must be broken out item by item. An estimate with only a lump sum without anything broken down leaves too much to the imagination. You need to know materials, color changes, and the approximate measurements they used to get to their price.
4. Check their contractor number and insurance. Not checking this information can be the most expensive thing you do. It’s important to find painters who are upstanding and offer you basic protections while working with them. You don’t want to be liable for any injuries had on your property!

As a homeowner there are many ways to make sure that your home is protected from the wind, rain, and natural deterioration of residential paint. By taking the steps to be aware of your home’s condition early you can easily circumvent expensive repairs and preserve the value of your home longer.