When Should You Schedule Exterior Painting Services?

Exterior painting requires some planning, and Kettering homeowners may put it off because they don't think it's a necessary task at the moment. However, if you spot mold and mildew, chalking, peeling, alligatoring, or blistering on your home's exterior, you shouldn't wait any longer to hire a painting company to give your house a fresh coat of paint.

Mold and Mildew

Part of home maintenance includes mold and mildew inspections, particularly on your house's exterior. Mildew consumes paint film and caulk, so it can be very damaging to your exterior painting. Mildew can appear black, brown, gray, or green in color, and it can develop as a result of excess moisture, improper priming, insufficient ventilation, or low-quality paint. Homeowners can remove mold and mildew on painted surfaces with a trisodium phosphate cleaning solution or bleach.

Blistering

Blisters or bubbles may develop on paint if it's exposed to heat and excess moisture. The paint on your home may also blister as a result of improper preparation or thin paint, and paint on new lumber can blister if it doesn't dry completely. Homeowners can prevent blistering by allowing paint to dry fully and installing insulation and vapor barriers to reduce moisture. Your painting company can repair a blistered surface by scraping the paint, sanding the surface, priming, and then repainting your home.

Peeling

The paint on your home may start peeling because of excess moisture, insufficient adhesion, too many coats of paint, blistering, application of low-quality paint, or painting over a greasy, chalky, or dirty surface. To remove the peeled paint, homeowners can try scraping, sanding, power washing, or heat guns.

Alligatoring

Alligatoring occurs as a result of applying a second coat of paint over a wet first coat of paint. It can also occur if the paint has lost its elasticity or if the second coat of paint isn't compatible with the first coat. You'll hear your painting company use the term "alligatoring" to refer to the cracking and chipping of your home's painted surfaces.

Chalking

You may notice an accumulation of a fine powdery substance on your home's exterior siding, and this complication is referred to as "chalking." Your paint may begin to chalk because of thin paint applications, improper priming, or the disintegration of paint chemicals. Washing the exterior siding should eliminate chalking.

You don't have to wait for visible signs of age to hire a professional painter to refresh your Kettering home's appearance. Contact an experienced painting company like Litehouse Painting to schedule exterior painting services.