Repainting your home’s exterior is a big job that not only takes time and skill, but often also requires additional expenses such as scaffolding. This means you’re only going to want to hire painters and decorators in Dulwich or wherever you live when it’s strictly necessary.
But how can you tell when you need to give your property’s exterior a fresh coat of paint?
The following are the most common signs that it’s time to show the outside of your home some TLC.
Damage to the paintwork
No paint will last forever and as it ages, paint can chip, crack, flake, bubble and peel away from the wall. This is one of the clearest signs that it’s time to repaint your home.
When you see these kinds of signs, it’s important not to wait too long to repaint your property. That’s because damaged paint exposes the brickwork underneath to the elements, which can lead to water ingress (also known as penetrating damp).
This brings a whole host of problems all of its own, including the potential for damp and mould problems.
So, it’s not only a cosmetic decision to repaint your home in this situation, but one that could save you money on other repairs in the future.
Faded paint
This will be more obvious if your house is painted a colour, rather than white, but even then it can still be noticeable if you compare the side of your house that is most exposed to the elements with the one that’s most sheltered.
Faded paint is a cosmetic reason to consider repainting your home’s exterior, but it can also be a good sign that it’s time for a refresh before your paintwork gets damaged by consistent exposure to the elements.
If only one side of your property is faded, perhaps because it faces south and gets more sun than other areas, you may decide you only want to repaint this most exposed area and then repaint the other walls of your home less frequently.
Chalking
When paint chalks, it is losing its protective qualities. On the exterior of buildings, this can lead to the problems we mentioned earlier in this blog, like water ingress.
Although often not visible from a distance, it’s easy to tell if the paint on your home is chalking – simply run your hand over it and if you get what feels like chalk dust on your hand, it’s an indication that your paint is degrading.
This is an early sign that your property needs repainting. While it might look fine, with the protection offered by the paint diminished it’s an issue that needs addressing.
You don’t like your home’s current paint job
This is a purely personal reason to repaint your home’s exterior, but it’s as good as any. Perhaps you bought the property with the intention of changing its colour, and now is the time to do it.
Or maybe a shade you chose five or more years ago for your home no longer appeals and you fancy a change. These are equally valid reasons to call in painters and decorators to give your property a face lift.
If you’re planning to put your home on the market, you may also want to consider touching up the exterior paint to make it more appealing to prospective buyers too.