Home Exterior Painting: 6 Signs of Weather Damage
Mother nature is indifferent to human struggles. Try as we might to prepare for the weather and combat its harshest conditions, a large storm quickly humbles us all. Severe weather doesn’t merely threaten us as individuals, however -- our homes are susceptible to the environmental damage, too. Indeed, even moderate conditions can wreak havoc on your home over the years. Periodic maintenance will help you keep your home in good shape, but there will come a time when more intensive measures are required. Of course, it’s not always easy to notice signs of weather damage. Fortunately, the paint donning your home’s exterior can cue you into a number of exterior issues. A fresh coat of paint won’t solve every problem, but deteriorating paint can tell you something’s wrong, at the very least.
Let’s explore 6 signs of weather damage directly or indirectly related to home exterior painting.
6 Signs of Weather Damage Related to Home Exterior Painting
1. Exterior Discoloration
You can’t expect your house exterior to look as bright and fresh as it did just after you finished painting it last. Indeed, some fading is par for the course. That said, not all forms of discoloration are created equal. A slight loss of color is one thing, but a sudden, severe, and/or isolated instance of exterior discoloration often suggests some form of environmental damage. Blotchy stains (i.e., brown, gray, yellow, black, or green), for instance, may indicate mold/mildew or rust damage. Moisture typically has something to do with these types of discoloration, as water both allows fungal spores to thrive and oxidation (i.e., rusting) to occur. Knowing this, you can more easily get to the root of the problem.
2. Peeling Paint
The color of your exterior house paint isn’t the only attribute to keep in mind when searching for signs of weather damage. To shield your home’s siding from pests, wind, moisture, and more, your exterior paint must strongly adhere to the underlying surfaces. As time goes on, however, even high-quality paint can lose its strength, gradually peeling away from your siding (once again, moisture is often to blame). The more peeling and flaking that occurs, the more vulnerable your home’s exterior becomes to additional environmental damage. In other words, peeling paint is a clear indication that the weather has taken a toll on your property’s exterior and that fresh paint is needed. If you wait too long to address this issue, you can expect more peeling to occur at an exponential rate, eventually forcing you to invest in more time-consuming and costly repairs.
3. Cracks and Gaps
As you examine your home’s exterior, you might notice issues that at first seem directly related to your exterior paint job -- upon closer inspection, however, you might find that the problem runs deeper and has simply had a knock-on effect on the surrounding paint. Cracks in your siding and gaps between siding and trim (i.e., window frames) are prime examples of this phenomenon. From afar, a crack in your siding might simply look like a crack in your paint job. Of course, some exterior home painting touch-ups won’t solve such a problem on their own. Whether due to impact, pest damage, or normal wear and tear, cracks and gaps in your siding can lead to all sorts of problems, including energy loss (since air can escape through the breaches), pest invasions, moisture intrusion, and so on. In most cases, these issues can be resolved with the proper filler or sealer, such as caulk. Larger cracks and gaps might require more intensive siding/trim repair or replacements.
4. Loose Shingles and Other Roof-Related Issues
Visible issues with your exterior paint job can also be triggered by roof damage. Consider that your home’s roof is the first line of defense from overhead threats, including falling debris, precipitation, bird droppings, etc. A firm, functional roof will shield your siding from these various hazards. If your roof begins to fall apart, however, the rest of your home becomes more vulnerable as a whole. Indeed, problems like rust stains often stem from rusted roof components. If the environment has taken out its anger on your roof, then you might first notice its effects from the secondary impact on your home’s paint job.
5. Gutted Gutters
Much like your roofing, your home’s gutters can take on serious damage from the environment and have subsequent effects on your exterior paint job. During the spring and summer, birds and rodents can build nests in your gutters, clogging them up during heavy rainfall. In autumn, fallen leaves can make it nearly impossible for water to flow through your gutters and out the downspouts. And in winter, lingering moisture in your gutters can freeze, weighing down these features and causing them to break apart and separate from your home. In every case, gutter problems allow moisture to linger on your siding and foundation, damaging your exterior paint job. So, if you’re struggling with exterior paint problems, make sure you check your gutters.
6. Deteriorating Doors and Windows
Your home’s siding isn’t its only painted exterior feature. Your front doors, trim, and other prominent features are most likely painted, too, and can also indicate weather-related damage. The same paint problems mentioned earlier in this article, such as discoloration, peeling, and cracking, also apply to these other parts of your exterior. If you live in a region with a stormy climate, it’s worth installing storm doors to protect your exterior-facing doors from such problems. Unfortunately, protecting your trim from environmental threats is more challenging. Investing in high-quality, weather-proof exterior paint is an important measure across the board. Also, hiring pressure washing services to clean your home’s exterior at least twice a year can help mitigate any negative environmental impact, restore your home’s curb appeal, and reveal issues that might have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Overcoming the Weather’s Worst Effects on Your House Exterior
There’s no way to keep your home entirely safe from the worst the weather has in store, but staying alert to signs of weather damage will help you steer clear of the most serious problems. With so much ground to cover, however, it helps to have experienced professionals in your corner. At Nash Painting, we’ve helped countless homeowners across Nashville, Franklin, and Brentwood, TN protect, restore, and enhance their properties inside and out. To learn more about us, our services, and our values, call us at 615-829-6858 today!