6 Ways to Preserve Exterior Paint
6 Ways to Preserve Your Existing Exterior Paint
Your home means a lot to you and is one of the most valuable assets you own. You probably want to keep it looking fresh and beautiful. Over time, your home will endure a lot of weathering from sunlight, wind, and moisture.
Your home is your protection from the elements. If there is a problem, you and your wallet suffer the consequences. It’s important to review the condition of your home once a year and look for any damaged areas that may need to be repaired to save your home from any long-term damage.
Keeping your home well-maintained is an easy way to get the most value out of your exterior paint and preserve the structural integrity of your house.
Manage Your Landscaping
You can extend the life of your home’s exterior paint job by creating a landscape barrier in front of your house to block some sunlight and divert rainfall. Be sure to keep up with frequent trimmings, however, as plants can create physical damage if they begin to grow on your house.
Inspect vines and branches regularly to trim any parts of the plants that are getting too close to the walls of your home.
Keep Your Gutters Clean
Eliminate any debris that collects on your roof and gutters to prevent clogs and damp spots. An improper gutter system or clogged gutters can send debris down the walls of your home. Overflow from gutters can damage the paint on your home and leave streak marks.
Remove Grit and Grime from Siding
Over time debris from plants, animals and the weather will inevitably build up on the walls of your home. If the debris is left sitting on your walls, it can diminish your home’s beauty and make the paint decay more rapidly.
Power washing the exterior of your home and giving the walls proper scrubbing is a crucial part of increasing the longevity of the paint. Be careful to use cleaning products that will enhance the paint and not erode it.
Keep an Eye Open for Problem Areas
Take pictures of the exterior of your home every time you perform an inspection. This way, it will be easier to see where weathering and erosion have occurred most on your home over time.
Moisture Maintenance
When moisture gets under your paint job, it can cause it to bulge, crack and peel. When you see this happening, it is time to look inside and out for the cause of the moisture. The problem could be the base of the paint itself not responding well to moisture.
The problem could also be a leaking roof, pooling water, or overflowing gutters. Another source of the problem could be from leaky kitchen plumbing or a spill that was never fixed properly. Fixing any water issues will help you reduce the maintenance you have to do on the paint job and keep it looking fresh.
Repair, Reinforce, and Renew
It is important to have your home painted correctly the first time around. However, it is also important to keep up with touch-ups and repairs. Repaint areas with the most exposure to sunlight, paint any exposed wood, and use premium caulk for any areas that need re-caulking. Small touch-ups along the way can help your paint’s longevity and lower costs in the long run.
