CertaPro Painters of Springfield Home Improvement FAQ

Do you have a running list of all the home projects you would like to get done? What is on your to-do list? And more importantly, how much do you know about these projects? We’ve compiled a list of answers to some of the most common questions we see as home improvement experts in the area. Use this list to understand what should be worked on now, what can wait another year or two, and what requires an expert.

We have split our home improvement FAQ into two categories: exterior projects that need to be done in the spring, summer, and early fall; and interior projects that can be done all year.

Exterior Home Improvement Projects to Do in the Spring, Summer, and Fall

We can help you plan when to tackle exterior projects so that you achieve the best results. Spring and fall are great times to do things like powerwashing, exterior painting, and deck staining.

Do I Need to Re-stain My Deck?

Regular maintenance can help you prolong the life of your stain, but if your deck was stained between three and five years ago, it’s probably time to re-stain. Other factors to help determine when you need to re-stain include:

• Did you recently move into your home?
• Do you see chipping and splitting in the wood?

When is the Best Time to Re-stain My Deck?

You should stain or re-stain your deck in the fall. Spring has too much rain and prolonged moisture, and the summer months are typically too humid. Direct sunlight and extreme summer temperatures can result in a premature stain failure, or a stain unable to penetrate the surface to provide long lasting protection. This will cause the stain to wear prematurely.

How Often Should I Powerwash My House?

The best answer is to powerwash as needed. We recommend that homeowners powerwash their exterior once a year, but some houses do not need this and others need to be powerwashed multiple times a year, depending on the weather and the trees and plants that grow around your house. This is a personal decision. If your house looks dirty or dull, powerwashing is a great tool to brighten up your exterior. It can even make it look like a new coat of exterior paint!

Do I Need to Repaint the Exterior of My Home?

Do you want to repaint your exterior because you would prefer a different, possibly more trendy, color? If so, then you should definitely repaint your exterior.

Other reasons to repaint your exterior would be if you are beginning to see excessive wear, if you recently replaced a portion of your exterior and now it no longer matches the rest of the house, or if you are beginning to see chips in the paint.

In general, it’s best to repaint your home every 5-10 years, depending on the material. You can contact a professional to talk about the current state of the exterior of your home and how often it should be repainted.

Tip: The best time to paint your home is the spring, summer, or early fall. The majority of paints adhere best when they are applied between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Interior Home Improvement Projects You Can Do Any Time of the Year

Interior home improvement projects can be done just about any time of the year. Look at the top interior home improvement questions we receive, then decide if your home needs some updates, if you want to attempt to DYI your to-do list, or if you want to call a professional.

How Do I Know If It’s Time to Refinish My Kitchen Cabinets?

First, let’s define refinishing – because it is more than just a new coat of paint. Refinishing your cabinets involves removing the doors, sanding down the cabinets, stripping off the old finish, and applying new paint

and/or stain.

If you kitchen has significant wear or is starting to look outdated, you should consider refinishing your cabinets. But be sure to follow instructions on how to properly perform this extensive task, or contact an expert to handle it all for you.

How Do I Know If It’s Time to Repaint the Interior of My Home?

The interior of your home is comprised of two types of spaces: high traffic areas and low traffic areas.High traffic areas need paint more often, likely every 3-5 years. These areas include the kitchen, bathroom, stairs, hallways, and entryways. Low traffic areas need new paint every 7-10 years. These areas include the living room, dining room, bedrooms, office, and any spare rooms or spaces.

Tip: if you regularly touch it or if it experiences frequent changes in temperature or humidity (think the bathroom or kitchen), then it’s likely a high traffic area that needs to be repainted more often. You’ll be able to tell — discoloration and chipping are signs of being well lived in.

Is your home looking great but you just want a change? That’s okay, too. You don’t need a reason to repaint your interior other than it will make the space feel new, or make you happier in it.

How Do I Know If It’s Time to Replace the Wallpaper in My Home?

Is your wallpaper is peeling? Is it splitting at the seams? Does it have bubbles? Is faded from the sun? Is it beginning to look dated? Then yes, you should consider replacing it.

Tip: Wallpaper lasts longer than paint. If you are wondering whether wallpaper can go bad, the answer is yes, but it’s more likely that your style will change before your wallpaper starts to show signs of going bad.

Want to remove old wallpaper and/or install new? We recommend contacting a professional. This will save you hours of picking at the wall and trying to make the seems match. Spend a little money to save a lot of time.

Contacting a Professional

You can contact an organization like ours to discuss all your home improvement ideas, questions, and concerns – with no obligation. CertaPro Painters^® of Springfield offers free remote and in-person estimates to all customers. Exterior projects can be quoted by experts who evaluate the home from the street. This does not require any personal interaction. Interior projects can be quoted via pictures or a Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime call. We do not require any personal interaction or contact and are working to enforce social distancing for all customers and employees. And if for whatever reason you don’t want to go with us, you don’t have to. We’ll have been happy to meet a neighbor, and you’ll have a better sense of cost and involvement.

Contact us today to discuss your project and schedule your free remote estimate.