According to IBISWorld, in the U.S., there are currently 248,376 home painting businesses. You may be wondering if it’s time to hire one of them for exterior painting services. Exterior painting helps to increase curb appeal, preserves the value of your home, and helps to extend the lifespan of your siding. If you’ve recently purchased your first home, or you have never had to paint a home before, you may be wondering when you need to hire this type of professional. Keep reading to discover some of the key signs indicating that it may be time to invest in new exterior paint for your house.
1. It’s Faded
Quality exterior paint is designed to withstand the elements. The paint should be able to look great despite being exposed to sunlight, rain, and extreme temperatures. However, any part of your home, including the paint, can start to fade or age after years of outdoor exposure. If the color is no longer as vibrant as it once was, it’s probably in need of a refresh, and it’s time to think about hiring exterior home painters.
2. It’s Bubbling, Peeling, or Cracking
Paint doesn’t last forever, especially exterior paint. When it’s at the end of its lifespan, it often provides you with many warning signs. You can easily see these signs if you know what you’re looking for. Aging paint often manifests in various forms of damage. You may see your paint bubbling, peeling, cracking, or flaking. Paint should always lie flush against the siding of your home, so anytime you start to see it lifting, or you see the edges of the paint, you know it’s time to take action and contact exterior home painters.
3. Moisture Is Seeping Into Your Home
Most people think that paint is there solely for aesthetic reasons, but this isn’t the case. When applied to your siding, it also plays a role in helping to keep moisture out of your home. As the paint ages or becomes damaged, it may lose its ability to do this job. In turn, water and moisture may start to seep into your home. You may notice your caulking is cracking, you may see your interior paint bubbling, you may see your drywall flaking or distorting, or you may smell a mildew-like scent in your home.
4. You’re Having Siding Repairs Done
After having exterior home painters paint your home, you may have the option to save the leftover paint in case you need to touch it up at any point. However, if you are having major repairs completed, you may not have enough touch-up paint to go around. It can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to try to match your home’s existing paint color to a new can of paint if the old paint was applied a few years ago. If you’re having major work done to your siding, it makes more sense to simply have your home freshly painted afterward to ensure the paint color is consistent.
5. You’re Planning on Listing Your Home for Sale
Exterior home painting can make the outside of your home look more attractive, better cared for, and increase the value of your property. If it’s been five years or longer since your home was last painted and you’re getting ready to list your home for sale, you may want to hire exterior home painters to refresh your home. By taking this step, you can ensure your home looks its best and makes a great first impression on potential homebuyers.
6. It’s Been More Than 10 Years Since Your Home Was Last Painted
Speaking of the timeline for painting your home, most exterior paints last anywhere from seven to 10 years. While you should be on the lookout for signs that your paint is at the end of its lifespan, in some cases, you may want to get ahead of these signs. If it’s been 10 years or longer since your home was last painted, the paint is at or near the end of its lifespan. Preemptively painting your home can increase the curb appeal of your property and keep it looking its best at all times.
7. The Color Is Not Right for Your Home
It’s easy to make the wrong call when it comes to picking a paint color. There may be times when you look at your home and wonder why you picked a certain color, or the color you chose may have wound up being darker or lighter than you thought. Or maybe you bought a new home and the color is just not working for you. The wrong paint color on a home can decrease the home’s value and take away from the natural beauty of the property. If the color just isn’t working, you don’t have to live with it. Exterior home painters can help you choose the perfect new shade.
8. There Are Stains on the Exterior
If your siding is dirty, it can severely detract from the overall look of your home. Some stains are stubborn and simply won’t lift or budge with power washing. Mildew or mold stains in particular can be challenging or impossible to remove, especially if they have been present for a prolonged period of time. If you have noticeable stains that can’t be washed away, painting can help cover them, removing them from view.
9. You’ve Added a Home Addition
A home addition can increase the square footage of your home and give you more space. If the main part of your home’s exterior isn’t ready to be painted, you may think about trying to match the color of your existing paint to the exterior of the new addition. Unfortunately, this rarely works out well, and the paint colors will likely not match. This prevents the exterior of your home from looking cohesive and makes the addition stand out like a sore thumb. If you’ve added onto your home, hire exterior home painters to repaint the entire home exterior and ensure everything matches perfectly.
10. You Want to Change the Color of Your Home
One final reason to paint your home’s exterior is simply because you want to. A friend or neighbor may have recently painted their home, and you may have fallen in love with their paint color. Or you may have always dreamed of having a white home with blue shutters. You don’t have to wait until your exterior starts to show signs that it needs to be repainted; you can repaint your home anytime you want. Life is short, and if changing the color of your home makes you happy, you should go ahead and do it.
The next time you’re standing outside your house, take the time to properly look at it. If your home’s siding is damaged, if the paint looks faded or worn, or if you simply don’t like the color, it’s time to think about hiring exterior home painters. If you’re looking for dependable exterior home painters to give your house the perfect look and feel with a fresh coat of paint, contact Brentwood Painting Company today to learn more about our services and obtain a virtual estimate. We look forward to working with you!