When and Why You Should Repaint Your Home

A question we get a lot at JMA Painters, your local painting company, is how often it is truly necessary to repaint your home. The answer to this question depends on many factors including but not limited to: the type of paint that was used previously, if it was done by a painting company vs. a DIY project, the prep work done prior to previous painting, the painting surface, weather conditions in your area and most importantly – if you are referring to the interior or exterior of your home. 

For readers who simply want a quick answer, we recommend the interior of your home be painted every 3-5 years and the exterior of your home every 5-10 years. Note that the time frame on exterior painting projects is heavily dependent upon the type of exterior surface. For those interested in further information, read on!

Signs it’s time to hire a painting company for a home repaint.

As stated above, how often you have your home repainted is dependent upon many factors. If you simply are not sure if it’s time, there are a few signs you can look out for. Below we cover these signs as well as some other factors that may contribute to your hiring of a professional painting company in the future.

Interior Repaints

Some rooms in your home will need to be repainted more frequently than others. For example, rooms with young children, indoor pet access, etc will require a repaint much sooner than a guest bedroom. It’s time to paint when: 

1. If you notice any peeling, cracking of the paint or bubbling in the paint, this is a sign that the proper prep work or application was not applied and it’s time to repaint. It also could be an indicator of a larger issue such as dry rot, mold or other moisture related issues and should be addressed quickly even if you decide to hold off on the actual repaint with a professional painting company. 
2. Damaged Paint. Once you begin to notice the visual wear and tear on the paint job, you can guarantee the surface underneath is in need of some attention. Paint has protective elements to the overall structure of your home, so when you start to notice damaged paint, it’s time to repaint. 
3. Selling your home. A fresh coat of paint can fully transform your entire living space. An interior paint job is an extremely affordable way to boost the value of your home and give potential buyers the first impression needed to close the sale. 

Exterior Repaints

Although the exterior of your home does not need to be painted as frequently as the interior of your home, you should keep an eye out for certain things that indicate it’s necessary. Exterior painting has protective elements and neglecting to repaint when necessary could have lasting damaging effects to the overall structure of your home. How can you tell if it’s time? 

1. Cracked Caulk. Caulk is used to seal doors and windows. Over time, caulk will lose its quality and become hard instead of its usual expansive elastic texture. This is a good sign it’s time for an exterior repaint. 
2. Wear and Tear. Once you notice the wear and tear of the paint on your home, you can move an exterior paint job significantly higher up on your todo list. Once you see physical paint chipping and paint damage to the exterior of your home, it means the underneath layers of the surface are exposed to moisture in the environment – which is bad news for Louisiana humidity!
3. Curb appeal. Just as painting the interior of your home can increase perceived value, painting the exterior of your home dramatically boosts curb appeal. The exterior of your home is the first impression and cracked paint can leave potential buyers with the perception that the house needs lots of other work, which may not even be the case. 
4. HOA regulations. Some Homeowner associations have strict regulations about the appearance of your home’s exterior. They may require you to have certain repairs and touch ups made. Note that some even regulate colors you are allowed to paint, so be sure to check your HOA rules before hiring your painting company.

In summary, the perks of repairing your home often outweigh the minimal cost. Keep an eye out for wear and tear or any damage to existing paint and seals. When you do hire your painting company, make sure to ask the type and quality of the paint they use and the life expectancy of that paint. Sometimes it can be more affordable in the longrun to use a better quality paint with less frequent repaints. If you are in the market for an interior or exterior repaint, JMA Painters would love the opportunity to bid out your project. Contact us for your free residential or commercial painting estimate today.