One of the biggest threats to your building’s exterior is the weather – especially in a state with wild weather swings like New York! Our summers are sweltering, and our winters are freezing. It’s a challenge in many ways, but it can be particularly rough on building exteriors. How do you keep your building properly maintained when the weather is constantly trying to wear it down?
At C.E.T. Painting, we constantly emphasize the importance of prepping for changing weather. Don’t let the seasons take you off-guard. Pay attention to shifts in the weather, and upcoming weather reports, so that you can prepare your property for the season to come. These are some of our most important seasonal exterior painting tips, as well as some general exterior maintenance tips that can keep your building looking great all year!
I. The Threats to Your Exterior
Just about every season brings its own problems, when it comes to exterior maintenance. So, let’s start by looking at the major issues you’ll face depending on the weather.
Sunlight and Heat
In the summer, sunlight is the biggest threat to your property’s exterior. This comes in a couple of different forms. Heat itself can be a problem, as some cheaper paints can start to melt, and other external features may be affected by high heat as well. Be aware whenever you install external elements, and make sure they can stand up to 100+ degree weather.
However, the bigger issue is often the ultraviolet (UV) light given off by the sun. Many paints, especially cheaper paints, are often vulnerable to UV and will fade quickly in direct sunlight. It’s important to pay extra for UV-resistant paints on your building exterior, especially the faces that will receive the most direct sunlight. Otherwise, your paint could fade beyond recognition in just a few years, requiring a new paint job.
Humidity and Rain
In spring and fall, there’s typically more rain and moisture in the atmosphere. This can be terrible for paint that isn’t weather-protected, as many paints will quickly start bubbling, peeling, or cracking when they’re exposed to a lot of moisture. Even worse, if the moisture makes its way past the paint and into the actual building materials, it can inspire the growth of mold and mildew which can quickly wreck the look of a building. (As well as potentially being a health hazard!)
You should be using moisture-resistant paints and primers in your exterior painting, and it’s also a good idea to add a waterproof finishing coat as well. Plus, make sure your drain spouts are working properly, and not dumping even more water onto the exterior walls.
Wind and Dust
Almost any time between spring and fall can bring heavy winds, and winds carry dust. This also creates two major issues for your exterior paint. First, the wind and dust will have a scrubbing effect, and can quickly weather your building – such as giving your paint a rough appearance. Plus, dust will accumulate on the building, which covers up the paint and gives it a dingy appearance.
Keeping your paint clean is the best plan here. Pressure-washing at least once a year can help keep your building looking great while removing dust that would otherwise sink into the paint job.
Ice and Snow
Finally, there’s the bitter cold of New York winters. If your paint isn’t rated for sub-zero temperatures, the cold can also cause your paint to freeze, and then crack. There can also be expansion and contraction of the paint as the temperature changes, also leading to cracks. In addition, if ice forms on the side of your building, it can take paint with it when it falls off.
Some paints come with cold-weather additives which can mitigate some of these effects. However, winter is generally the worst for exterior paint, and many people find they have to do some touch-ups in the spring to repair winter damage.
II. Other Exterior Maintenance Tips
Beyond making sure your paint is ready for each season, what else should you be doing to prepare for changing weather and maintain your building’s exterior?
1 – Do major paint jobs when it’s warm
The best time for exterior painting is in late spring to early fall. The paint will adhere best when it’s hot and dry, which means summertime or thereabouts.
However, this also means that exterior painters in Westchester will be at their busiest in the summer. If you schedule paint work for late spring, in April-May when most of the spring storms have passed, you’ll typically have an easier time hiring contractors. Don’t wait until fall if you can help it, as you’ll be fighting all the other people who also waited too long.
2 – Keep your gutters and spouts clear
Rain and snow are already big threats to your exterior paint and design – don’t make it worse with clogged or broken gutters. A clogged gutter is going to send large amounts of water cascading straight down the sides of your building, doing far more damage than the rain by itself.
Fall is an excellent time to check out your drains and spouts, to ensure they’re all clear and functioning properly. Also, be sure to have them cleaned if they ever get clogged up during the fall or winter.
3 – Ensure your roof is weather-proofed
Your roof should be fully protected from the elements, both to prevent direct damage and also to ensure proper drainage. This is especially important for commercial properties with flat roofs, as it’s easier for their drainage to become disrupted and lead to water pooling on the roof. However, residential homes can also have issues, if too many of their roofing tiles are damaged or destroyed.
Besides being bad for the roof, this too tends to lead to water making its way down the walls, doing additional damage to your paint.
Need Help? C.E.T. Painting Is Here!
For 20 years, C.E.T. Painting has been Westchester County’s go-to expert for seasonal exterior painting. If you need help prepping for next season, just contact us!