Some of the a major issues a home owner may face are dealing with the results of issues with their exterior paint on their home. Living in Georgia is great because of all the seasons we get to experience but with all of the moisture and humidity and then the extreme heat of summer, your exterior paint can take a beating not to mention issues with mold and mildew stains.
Here are some of the issues to keep an eye out for and signs you may need new exterior paint:
- Peeling – one of most common exterior surface problems is peeling. There are many causes including too many coats of old paint, moisture, and a poorly prepared surface that is chalky, greasy, or slick. Proper preparation of the surface is the key to avoid these problems. But if it’s too late and your house’s exterior is already showing signs of peeling, you can get rid of them by scraping off the peeling paint, sanding, power washing, or using a heat gun.
- Blistering – another common and annoying surface problem is blistering, or “bubbles.” Blistering is usually linked to moisture and can occur even in a fresh coat of paint. Blisters form when the vapors that are attempting to escape are instead trapped by the paint. To avoid blistering, prepare the surfaces thoroughly, then let them completely dry. You should not also paint in direct sunlight because the heat makes the paint dry too quickly, trapping the vapor. Nor you should paint when there is dew, rain, or very high humidity. Poor quality paints can also be the culprit, so to avoid blistering you may want to buy and use only good quality paints.
- Chalking – you can identify chalking by the fine, chalk-like powder that forms on the surface of the paint film. This is the result of a chemical breakdown of the pigments, binders and solvents in pain; light-colored paints are usually more prone to chalking than darker-colored ones. This may be caused by environmental factors, poor priming, overly thinned paint, or applying the paint too thin. Fortunately, this is easy to address. Remove the chalky powder by washing the surface using water, cloth or a nylon scrub, and detergent. After washing the surface, let the surface completely dry, then apply high-quality paint.
- Cracking and chipping – this problem, also known alligatoring due to its appearance, looks like a pattern of cracks on the surface of the paint film which looks like alligator’s scales. This is the result of several factors. It may be that the second coat of paint was applied before the first coat was completely dry. It can also be the result of using incompatible paints. For instance, a coat of flat-finish paint is applied over glossy paint. Oil-based paints that are naturally aging may also exhibit signs of alligatoring. Prep work involving sanding, scraping, filling, and priming can remove this problem. Then you will want to use good quality paint on the surface.
- Mildew – Mildew is another surface problem characterized by brown, black, or gray spots on the surface of the paint or caulk. This is caused by the presence of fungi on the paint’s surface. Moisture is the culprit of mildew, which usually forms on walls with northern exposure and the underside of eaves which are damp and not exposed to sunlight.
The end solution to these problems is to power wash your existing exterior paint and then apply a fresh coat of paint. In order to avoid encountering similar problems again it is recommended that you hire a professional painting company.
