Preventing Exterior Paint Damage

The paint on the exterior of your house does much more than create a beautiful color. It also adds a layer of protection between your home and the elements, pests, and deterioration. If you take diligent care of the paint, it could last you for years to come, looking great. Here is what you can do in preventing exterior paint damage.

Keep up with landscaping

It’s popular to line the edge of your house with foliage in bushes, trees, or vines. While they can help divert rain from the walls or shade them from direct sunlight, they can also cause damage. Once a year check all plants close to your home and trip back any foliage that could touch the side of the house. Another common item we see in the Los Angeles area is lawn sprinklers hitting the side of the home, make sure the path of the water system leaves no droplets on the exterior of the home to prevent fading and paint failure over time.

Regularly clean gutters

Water and leaves will over time fill up and potentially clog gutters. When gutters overflow they can quickly start causing damage to the exterior of the home. Checking gutters once to twice a year is recommended, if you notice debris in them, clean them out to reduce the chances of a clog forming. Water drainage can leave streaks and marks down your current paint. To avoid this, clean any debris from the gutters and avoid clogs in the downspouts.

Keep walls clean

Walls naturally pick up dirt and debris from the elements outside. The longer it sits on the paint, the more likely it will ruin the finish and cause rapid decay. Washing the exterior of your home once a year is a good practice to clean off any dust or debris that settles on the surface. Power washing is an easy technique to clean the exterior walls, just be sure to use a lower power setting to not blast away paint on the surface.

Regularly inspect for problems

Another seasonal task you should do is to inspect the entire exterior of your house for any problem areas. Look for things like discoloration, cracking, or bubbling. Take pictures if necessary so you can remember what the damage looked like and where it was. For each inspection, compare the images. Any increase in damage should be noted or considered for repair.

Repair as soon as problems are noticed

Once paint has been damaged the elements are allowed to penetrate the finish. Cracking, peeling, bubbling and other damage should be repaired to remove the risk of moisture and pests making their way into the house. If wood rot sets in, it’s best to remove that portion of wood and replace it with new materials. We can help with wood rot repairs in most cases and offer a variety of other services to protect and beautify your home as well.

If you see damage and are not ready to take on the task of repairing or repainting yourself, contact our pros and get a free estimate today.