Extending the Life of Your Home's Exterior Paint

Congratulations on your newly painted home! Using Cityscape's experienced painters and our high-quality paints and primers is the #1 way to guarantee you'll get a paint coat on your home that will last for years. However, Minnesota's weather extremes are a challenge for even the best of paints. Here are some tips to extend the life of your home's exterior.

Trim the shrubbery.
‍Trees and bushes provide shade and protection for your home from the sun. However, they can also promote the growth of mold and mildew which will damage your paint over time. Trim the shrubs around your house at least once a year and give your paint a little breathing room.

‍Scrub it down. 
‍At least once a year, walk around your house and use a bucket filled with mild detergent and warm water to scrub dirt and mildew off your home's exterior. Grab a mop or other extendable tool to reach the higher parts of the home. This will help prevent color fade on your home's paint over time.

Pressure wash.
‍Disclaimer: don't do this too often, or with too much pressure. However, a spring and fall rinse of your home using just enough pressure to remove stains and dirt can help keep your exterior paint looking fresh and ready for the heat - or cold - to come.

Gutter cleaning.
‍If your gutters are full of debris, they will overflow during heavy rains, carrying along bits of whatever else is trapped in your gutter. This may be dirt that will leave a silt trail down the side of your house. Or it could be other debris that will knock against your home on the way down, creating tiny divots or cracks in your paint. Although the damage may not be noticeable in the short term, these issues can take years off the lifespan of your home's paint.

‍Roof maintenance.
Debris tends to "stick" to damp roofs. This stuff can cause serious damage to your home's paint when it falls off the roof in the next rain storm. In addition, damp breeds damp. If your roof becomes a starting point for mold or mildew, it will inevitably spread to the rest of your home's exterior and ultimately your interior as well. Keep your roof in good repair.

In summary, you may not be able to control Minnesota weather but you CAN regularly inspect and repair any issues on your home's exterior. A few hours of maintenance each year can return big savings by extending the lifespan of your home's paint and avoiding costly repairs.

With over 35 years' experience, there's no job we can't handle! Call Cityscape Painting for an estimate today, (952) 469-5901.