How Often Should You Paint Your House?
Painting your home is an extremely time-consuming, inconvenient process. However, your home is probably the greatest asset you own. If you plan on refinancing or selling your home to take advantage of this asset, a freshly painted home can seriously increase the appraisal value of your home. Today, we’re answering some of the most frequently asked Orlando house painting questions, including what you should look for in a central Florida painting contractor.
House Painting FAQs Answered: How Often Should You Paint Your House?
As a general rule of thumb, homes need to be painted every seven to 10 years. However, numerous factors affect how often the exterior of your home will need to be repainted by a painting contractor in central Florida. For example, homes in Florida need to be painted more often than homes further from the equator because the intense sun’s rays degrade the paint faster.
What Are the Most Common Signs That It’s Time for a Home to Be Painted?
Since so many factors, including the material comprising the exterior of your home, affect how often it needs to be repainted, you shouldn’t just use time as a gauge for whether the exterior of your home needs to be repainted. Here are some signs you can see that will tell you it is time for a new coat of paint on your home:
- Damaged stucco
- Damaged wood
- Bubbling, peeling, or cracked paint
- Cracked caulking
- Moisture stains
- Mold
- Fading colors
- A change in taste
Damaged Paint
If you notice the paint on the exterior of your home peeling, cracking, or bubbling, you need to have your home repainted professionally as soon as possible. Damaged paint is much more than a mere cosmetic problem. It is a strong indicator that your home is no longer adequately protected from the elements.
When paint no longer covers the wood on the exterior of your home, the wood is exposed to rain. When the wood gets wet, mold and mildew can occur, posing a potential threat to your health. Also, wood that gets wet is at significant risk of rotting. As soon as you notice damage to exterior paint, especially if you live in the heart of Florida, you need to contact a professional contractor to repaint the exterior of your home.
Cracked Caulking
Keeping your home cool in the hot Florida weather can be a challenge. Unfortunately, regardless of how much insulation you pack into your attic, it will be extremely difficult to keep your home cool if you have cracked caulking around your windows or doors. It doesn’t matter how powerful your HVAC system is if the refreshingly cold air is leaking out of your home.
If you notice cracks in your caulking, you may be tempted to buy a caulk gun and fill in the cracks with fresh caulk. However, if the caulk cracks are large, the best idea is to have a professional recaulk the exterior of your home. Then, you should have a painting contractor repaint the exterior of your home for a much-needed extra layer of protection that will keep your caulk functioning for a lot longer.
Moisture Stains and Mold
In some cases, mold and moisture stains can be removed with a little elbow grease or pressure washing. In other cases, water damage is so deep that not even pressure washing can remove it. In such cases, the damage needs to be painted over. However, you should be aware that the material may need to be replaced depending on the extent of the damage.
Fading Colors
Regardless of whether you are looking for an appraisal on your home to be as high as possible, you should strongly consider getting the exterior of your home painted if the paint is starting to fade. One compelling reason to schedule a house painting when the paint starts to fade is that the home no longer looks as good as it once did.
There are compelling reasons to get your home painted in the case of fading paint besides cosmetics, though. Paint doesn’t just make your home attractive. it also protects your home from the elements. When the paint covering the exterior of your home starts to fade, your paint is telling you that it can no longer protect your home as effectively as it once could.
A Change in Taste
Sometimes, there is nothing wrong with the paint covering the outside of your home, but the color no longer appeals to you. If you experience a change in taste, you don’t need to wait until the paint starts to fade or peel. You can absolutely have the exterior of your home repainted a year or two after it was last painted if you feel your home would look better in a different color.
How Often Should the Inside of My Home Be Painted?
As a general rule of thumb, you should repaint the inside of your home every three to five years. However, if you have a number of pets that shed a lot, you may need to have your interior walls repainted more often. If you have a room in your home that pets or kids don’t spend a lot of time in, like the dining room or guest bedroom, you may be able to go closer to five to seven years without painting the room again.
What Rooms Need to Be Repainted the Most Often?
Generally, children’s bedrooms need to be repainted the most often. It is not uncommon for parents to paint their kids’ rooms pink or blue. However, children often decide that they want their bedroom a different color. Even if your kid picks out the color of their room, there is a good chance that their taste will change over time. Even if they love the color of their bedroom, the walls will likely be dinged and scuffed.
Hallways also need to be repainted often. You should not be surprised if your hallways need to be repainted every two to three years to remain fresh and beautiful. This is because hallways, especially those leading to the kitchen, are such small, high-traffic areas that they are very prone to dings and scuffs.
How Often Should I Repaint My Kitchen?
Like kids’ bedrooms and hallways, you should not be surprised if your kitchen needs to be repainted frequently. The heat from your oven and stove can damage the walls of your kitchen over time. The paint on your walls may start to fade, and it can start to peel if neglected for too long.
Generally, kitchens need to be repainted every three to four years. If you think your kitchen walls are starting to look duller and flatter than they used to, consider refreshing the space with warm colors. Also, keep in mind that if you opt for a semi-gloss or satin finish, your kitchen paint will look a lot better irrespective of the color you choose.
How Often Should I Repaint My Bathroom?
Like your kitchen, the paint in your bathroom is exposed to a lot of heat and steam. You should expect your bathroom to need a fresh coat of paint more often than other rooms, like guest bedrooms. Generally, bathrooms should be repainted every three years. However, guest bathrooms may only need to be repainted every four or five years depending on use.
If you currently have peeling wallpaper in your bathroom and have no idea what color to paint your bathroom, consider a neutral color. Grays and warm off-whites match just about any decor.
What Should I Look for in a Central Florida Painting Contractor?
When selecting a local contractor to take care of your exterior house painting for you, there are a number of factors you should consider. For instance, you should go with a contractor that can provide you with glowing reviews from previous clients. It is also important that you find a contractor that will give you a detailed estimate.
What Should I Ask a Potential Contractor?
Once you find a contractor that fits your budget Android has stellar online reviews, you need to make sure they are a good fit for you. One of the most important questions to ask a potential contractor is are you bonded and insured. You also need to make sure they are licensed. Furthermore, you should ask questions to determine:
- How much experience they have
- What products they use
- What warranties or guarantees they offer
- Whether they use subcontractors
- Whether they are a member of a professional assoication
Due to the intense sunlight the middle of Florida gets, you should have the exterior of your home painted every seven to 10 years. When looking for a contractor to paint your home, there are a number of things you should look for, including glowing reviews from past customers. If it’s been a while since the exterior of your home has been painted, contact Custom Care by Caleb now to get a quote.