If a picture is worth a thousand words, the right coat of paint might be worth a million. That’s because your exterior paint will go a long way toward making favorable impressions on visitors, neighbors, potential home buyers, and everyone else. The best paint jobs can last many years before they need to be touched up or redone. However, even the best paint applied by residential exterior painting services will eventually wear out. When that day comes, you’ll want to work with the best painting professionals to get your home up to speed. Let’s look at some common signs that your home may require painting.
1. You Just Built a New Home
It goes without saying – if you’re building a home, you’ll probably need to hire exterior painting services to paint it. Even if your home is being built out of brick, painting the trim and other things is a good idea. The best painting companies are often very busy, so you’ll want to line up the best residential exterior painting services early on. This can help you avoid any delays.
2. It’s Been Years Since the Last Painting
Some high-quality paints applied by professionals can last for many years. However, as your paint gets on in its years, you’ll want to keep a close eye out for any warning signs. Sometimes, paint can start to deteriorate rapidly. The paint might have been fine a few months ago, but now it may be a wise idea to redo it.
If you want your paint to last as long as possible (good idea), you need to select a high-quality paint. Application is also important and even great paint will break down quickly if applied poorly. Fortunately, by working with top-notch residential exterior painting services, you can maximize your paint’s lifespan.
3. The Caulk is Cracking
Caulk is pretty durable and can put up with a lot of bad weather. It’s smart to inspect your home on a regular basis to look for things like cracking caulk. If you notice this issue, it’s a good idea to call in professional painters to inspect your exterior. They may recommend a new coat of paint or another solution. Caulk may also harden and become brittle. This is another sign that it’s time for an update.
4. You’re Thinking About Selling Your Home Soon
If you’re thinking about selling your home in the next year or two, you might question the value of using residential exterior painting services to apply a new coat of paint. However, fresh paint could substantially improve your home’s value and may also help you sell it more quickly. Ultimately, the right coat of paint can go a long way toward paying for itself. In the meantime, you can enjoy the fresh paint and the good impressions it’ll leave on neighbors and guests.
5. You’re Noticing Flaking Paint
As paint breaks down, it may start to flake off of your home. You may also notice peeling paint, or bare patches where paint has already fallen off. You may find bits of paint in your yard or on your porch as well. This is a clear sign that the paint needs to be updated. You should act quickly because wood and other materials may be exposed to moisture, which could result in extensive damage.
6. The Last Painting Crew Did a Poor Job
Not all painting services perform as well as they should. If a company does a poor job, the paint may start to wear out in just a few years. In some cases, the paint won’t even be dry yet, and you’ll know that it has to be redone simply because it looks bad. The good news is that you can find professional residential exterior painting services that do exceptional work. According to IBISWorld, more than 232,000 painting contractors are working in the United States. Finding the right one can take some patience and effort, but it’s well worth it.
7. The Paint is Fading
You may notice that paint is fading, and if so, that’s a good indicator that it’s time to reach out to a painting company. Sometimes, the paint will fade only in certain spots. However, it may be best to repaint your entire home to ensure that all the colors and coats match. New paint will also increase protection from the sun, rain, and more.
8. The Paint Was Damaged in a Recent Storm
Paint can often shrug off paint and wind. However, hail, flying debris, and other things can quickly damage the paint. If so, you may need to touch it up or may want to repaint everything. If your home has been struck recently by a storm, it’s a good idea to bring in residential exterior painting services to inspect your home or other property.
9. Your Home is Looking Dated
The paint you or a previous owner selected ten years ago may have been perfect for the times. However, tastes change, and eventually, your home could end up looking out of date. In these cases, you can have your home looking fresh again simply by getting it repainted. This way, your home can look like the best on the block rather than old and worn out.
10. Wood is Beginning to Dry Rot
Paint isn’t all about aesthetics. Paint can protect wood from moisture. However, if the paint is breaking down or not providing adequate protection, the wood itself may begin to rot. Besides seeing crumbling wood, you may also notice a moldy, fungal smell. If you believe your wood is beginning to rot, you need to call in experts right away. By acting quickly, you may be able to reduce damage.
In some cases, you may need to replace wood before painting. This can make a project more difficult, but it’s important to protect your home. If the rot becomes widespread, the mitigation costs can be extensive.
11. You Need to Cut Your Utility Bills
Dark surfaces absorb light, which generates heat. If you live in a cold area, a dark coat of paint may help reduce heating costs. Likewise, white paint will reflect heat. In warm climates, this could help lower your cooling costs. It’s smart to consider the local climate when selecting a paint color.
12. Stubborn Stains Won’t Go Away
If the exterior of your home or other property is looking dirty, you might first try washing it. However, you could find that the stains simply won’t go away. If that’s the case, it may be time to update the paint. This will have your home’s exterior looking tidy in no time.
13. You Simply Want Something New
Some day you may simply realize you don’t like the exterior paint on your home. Your tastes may have changed, or perhaps you like to change things up on occasion. That’s perfectly human, and a new paint coating could make your entire home feel fresh again. At the end of the day, your home may be the most valuable asset you own. Given that, you’ll want to take steps to protect it from the weather, moisture, pests, and more. Sadly, property owners must worry about many threats. A proper coat of paint offers one way to ensure that your home is well-protected.
Worried that your home might not be fully protected? Want to enjoy improved aesthetics? Have another reason that you want to update the paint? Whatever the situation, feel free to reach out to us. We offer exceptional residential exterior painting services. Call The Oregon Painting Company today to learn more.
