Having your home professionally painted is a big investment. It is considered one of the best home improvement projects you can do, as it protects your most valuable asset—your home. That being said, you want to extend the lifetime of this investment to benefit you and your home as long as possible. There are certain best practices to make this happen.

1. Properly Pressure Washing

Wait at least 2 weeks after having your home painted to pressure wash it, but make sure to do this from time to time in order to keep the surface of your home clean. Over time, sap, dust, and dirt are attracted to your siding, not only making it look grimy, but also appealing to mildew. Pressure washing restores your siding and keeps it mold free. You want to keep the pressure down so that you don’t damage your siding or your paint.

2. Protecting Against Mold and Mildew

If there is already mold or mildew on your home, you can add a mold detergent to most pressure washers. We use a product called BioKleen, which is very effective in mold removal while remaining environmentally safe.

3. Touch Up Weathered Spots as Needed

There are areas on your home that are more prone to weathering than others. Siding near the roof or the ground, windowsills, and railings are all examples of areas where snow and water will sit and eat away at the paint. No matter how well the area has been prepped and painted, rapid deterioration is inevitable. Whenever you notice bare wood or other deterioration, make sure to touch it up. Don’t wait 8 years until your next paint job! At that point, you’ll be looking at wood replacement.

As long as you have chosen a quality painting contractor and good materials, and you maintain upkeep of the exterior of your home, you can extend the life of your paint job by years, and the life of your home by decades!

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