When was the last time you painted the outside of your home? Has it been seven years or more? Just like taking care of your car’s engine by changing the oil every 3,000 miles you need to seal and protect the exterior of your house. Here are some signs to look for when inspecting your home.

 

 

Fading – Check out the west and south exposures for fading. These areas weather the fastest due to the sun’s UV light which breaks down the paint. Is the paint starting to chalk? Chalking will look like a white powder on the surface of your siding. Has the sheen and luster from started to wear off?

 

 

 

 

 

Once the coating on your siding degrades and starts to fail. The waxes in pressboard siding can start to appear on the surface of your siding. It will look like a darker stain on the side of your home.  This is called wax bleed. When this happens new paint will not properly adhere to the surface and the wax will bleed through the paint. To cure this the wax needs to be sealed with an oil based primer before applying paint.

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes the wax bleed isn’t severe enough to bleed through the top coat of paint and is lurking behind the coating. Maintaining your siding by painting it before it weathers prevents this from happening.

 

 

 

 

Cracking – Do you notice any hairline cracks that resemble a spider web? These cracks appear in the early stages of paint failure which eventually lead to peeling paint. Other areas to check for cracking is in the caulk along doors, windows and anywhere the siding meets the trim. As caulk ages its ability to expand and contract weakens. Failure to seals these areas will allow water and insects to get behind the siding. Spending a few dollars more to use higher grades of caulk with greater elasticity will add longevity to sealing your home

 

 

Peeling Paint – When paint starts to peel the surfaces is no longer protected. Moisture will get into the wood or composite siding which will cause it to warp or rot. When boards warp and/or rot it maybe necessary to replace the board. Make sure to keep these surfaces properly sealed in order to prevent this from happening Always inspect the lower boards on your home as they tend to weather the fastest. Get on your hands and knees and look at the bottom edges of your siding. These edges are where I usually see failure happen first as they are not properly sealed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paint does more than just beautify your home it also protects it. Addressing these and any other issues before it gets worse can save you money and result in you getting a better quality paint job.Using professionally applied high quality paints can give you a longer lasting paint job. If you have noticed any of these issues please reach out to us and we can schedule an inspection.