How Often Should I Paint My Home Exterior in San Francisco?
A wise homeowner knows that regular maintenance is cost effective. Just like regular oil changes on your car will save you money in the long run, taking care of your exterior paint at regular intervals will keep you from facing the expense of major paint failure. So it is good for San Francisco homeowners to know how long their exterior paint should last, and when they should plan to repaint the outside of their homes.
Life Expectancy of a San Francisco Exterior Painting Project
Here in the Bay Area, a professional painting job can be expected to last from 7 to 10 years. This will be affected by a number of factors, including the substrate (what kind of material is underneath) and the quality of previous paint jobs.
Many San Francisco homes have stucco siding, and this helps paint last longer due to the stability of the substrate. Wooden homes will need repainting more often, since the surface expands and contracts more with temperature changes.
If a previous paint job on your home exterior was applied poorly or used inferior materials, that can cause your current paint to need recoating sooner.
How Do I Know When My Home Exterior Needs Painting?
The main hazard to your exterior paint here in the San Francisco area is the sun. Ultraviolet rays can cause paint to get brittle or chalky, eventually beginning to crack or peel. It is important to watch for the first signs of these problems, and deal with them before paint failure becomes severe.
One thing you will notice is that the paint on your home wears unevenly. The shady sides of your home will last longer than sides with a lot of sun or wind exposure. That is why paint maintenance can include repainting only the worn areas of the home exterior, rather than a complete repaint each time.
Can I Help My Exterior Paint Last Longer?
Cleaning your home exterior can help your paint last longer. For regular dust and airborne surface contaminants, you can use a long-handled brush to scrub lightly with soap and water, then rinse with a garden hose. If you have mildew on the surface, put a little bit of bleach into the mixture.
Pressure washing can also get your home exterior clean again, but it can be a tricky thing to do without damaging the paint you are trying to protect.
Exterior Painting Contractor for San Francisco Area
If your San Francisco area home is in need of exterior painting, MB JESSEE would be delighted to serve you. We are one of the most respected and reputable painting companies in the Bay Area, and our painters know how to treat your home to make it as beautiful as possible for as long as possible!
We would also be happy to have one of our experts come to your home for FREE to help you evaluate your paint and get an idea when and how your exterior paint should be maintained.
MB JESSEE provides affordable painting services to the greater San Francisco area, including East Bay, Oakland Hills, Berkeley, Danville, Marin, Contra Costa and Hillsborough.
Did you know that we are a green (eco-friendly) painting contractor?