Arizona fall is a welcome relief after months of hot summer weather.
Temperatures start cooling off. Mornings feel pleasant. People spend more time outdoors. This is also a good opportunity to examine what summer weather has done to the exterior of the home.
High sun, high temperatures, dust, wind, and rain can cause some wear to exterior paint.
By the time early fall comes around, people might notice fading, cracking, peeling, chalking, damaged caulk, and other issues with the existing coating.
This does not necessarily mean that the whole house needs repainting right away.
But it is a good time to walk around your house and evaluate what needs to be done.
At iPaint Homes, our specialty is repainting existing homes.
We work with surfaces that have endured years of Arizona weather conditions, previous paint jobs, repairs, and everyday wear and tear.
Here are the things to look for as cooler fall weather approaches.
Start With an Exterior Walkaround
There is no need for any special tools here.
Just walk around the exterior of your house on bright sunny days.
Consider each wall separately since sun exposure varies considerably depending on which way the wall faces. It is possible that while one wall looks nice, the other wall has faded much more.
Pay attention to:
- Stucco walls
- Fascia
- Trim
- Doors (exterior)
- Doors (garage)
- Wooden surfaces
- Window frames
- Walls around patio
- Eaves
- Previous repairs
Look carefully rather than evaluating the surfaces from the sidewalk.
Small issues are easy to miss when standing just a few feet away from the wall.
Evaluate Fading of the Exterior Paint
Fading is one of the most common paint problems in Arizona.
The effect occurs gradually.
In most cases, fading becomes apparent only when comparing shaded walls with well-exposed to the sun.
Rich and dark colors are sometimes more prone to fading.
A little fading is not necessarily an urgent reason to repainting. But widespread fading could make your house look aged and demonstrate that the existing coating has experienced quite a lot of weathering.
Clean-up will not restore the color faded by the sun.
When the paint itself fades, repainting usually becomes the best solution.
Evaluate Chalking on Painted Walls
Rub your hand against a painted wall.
The paint may start to flake off and leave a powdery residue on your fingers.
Such flaking occurs as the exterior paint ages and deteriorates.
A little chalking is natural for exterior paint. But extensive chalking needs to be addressed before repainting.
It is not a good idea to apply a new layer of paint over the loose, powdery surface.
That is why proper surface preparation is so important when repainting an existing Arizona home.
Before applying a new coating, the surface needs to be prepared according to its actual condition.
Look for Cracking, Flaking, and Peeling
Cracks in paint can be hard to spot at first.
But cracks tend to spread. Pay attention to trim, fascia, doors, wood, and other surfaces that have been heavily exposed to the sun in Arizona.
Flaking or peeling indicates that the existing coating has stopped adhering to the surface.
It is not enough to paint over the damaged surface.
Preparing such a surface usually includes removing flakes, sanding, repairing damage, cleaning, and priming if necessary.
The exact procedure will depend on the actual condition of the paint and the surface.
Evaluate Exterior Caulk
Caulk is not eternal.
Heat and movement can cause it to shrink, crack, split, and detach.
Pay attention to areas where caulk is used to close gaps, windows, doors, trim, joints, and other areas. There might be a visible separation between two surfaces.
This may not seem like a critical issue at first, but damaged caulk can let moisture into the place where it does not belong.
It is a good time to evaluate these areas when fall arrives.
If repainting is in your plans, damaged caulk should be addressed during the surface preparation rather than being covered with the new layer of paint.
Check Stucco for Cracks
Stucco houses are common in Arizona.
Small cracks can appear for various reasons including movement of the surface.
What is important is not trying to paint all the stucco cracks.
Paint can cover a tiny crack temporarily, but it is not a repair material for larger stucco issues.
Evaluate the surface and determine whether patching the surface is needed before painting it.
It is also useful to look for patches where previous stucco repairs made the surface have a different color and texture.
Repainting the surface professionally may help hide these areas.
Pay Attention to Fascia and Wood Trim
Wood trim tends to show wear and tear faster than large stucco walls.
Fascia is located higher on the house and is subject to intensive sun exposure.
Pay attention to:
- Peeling paint
- Cracks
- Exposed wood
- Rough surface
- Discoloration
- Open joints
Do the same around exterior doors and wood trim.
Exposed wood should not remain such for a long time.
Once paint fails, wood underneath is exposed to the weather elements.
Clean the Dirt Before Determining Whether the Paint Has Failed
Arizona homes accumulate a lot of dust.
It is possible that after months of summer weather, your exterior looks just dirty.
Dirt, cobwebs, pollen, and surface grime can give a look of a paint failure to good paint.
But cleaning can help you see the actual condition of the paint.
The important thing is there is a big difference between dirt and paint failure.
Cleaning can remove dirt and grime.
It cannot repair peeling, cracking, heavy fading, failed caulk, or exposed surfaces.
Once the house is clean, it will be much easier to identify those paint defects.
Look Around the Garage and Front Entry
These areas often attract attention of guests and neighbors.
Take a good look at the garage door, surrounding trim, front door, porch, columns, and entryway walls.
The front of the home might be exposed to strong sun depending on how it is facing.
An aged front door or damaged trim may give the look of an aged exterior even if walls of the home are not yet showing too many signs of aging.
Sometimes a smaller repainting project may make a huge difference.
Sometimes these areas are just first signs that it is time for the rest of the exterior to be repainted.
Do Not Forget to Inspect Your Patio and Backyard
Once fall arrives, Arizona homeowners start enjoying their patios.
This is a good reason to inspect patio and backyard areas too.
Look at the painted patio walls, posts, doors, trim, and other surfaces in your backyard.
These areas can show some sun damage, dirt accumulation, barbecue smoke and regular wear and tear.
Improving your outdoor entertaining area can make it much nicer to spend fall days in it.
Fall Can Be a Good Time to Plan Repainting of the Exterior
As far as cool temperatures are concerned, fall is a good season to work on exteriors in Arizona.
It is a convenient season to deal with paint damages you have noticed during summer months.
But painting conditions are important anyway.
Professional painters consider surface temperature, weather, requirements of paint products, and drying conditions rather than focusing on the calendar.
Another reason to plan is that it is better to catch problems in advance rather than wait until the exterior paint wears down.
Why Surface Preparation Matters for Existing Homes
Repainting an existing home is different from painting brand-new construction.
The surface already has history.
There might be old paint, faded areas, previous repairs, cracked caulk, dirt, chalking, small stucco issues, and weathered wood.
All this needs to be evaluated before the painting starts.
At iPaint Homes, this is a major part of what we do.
We specialize in residential repainting, which means that the goal is not to cover the old paint.
We evaluate the condition of the current paint, prepare the surfaces, and build the repaint around the existing surface.
Know When Maintenance Will Suffice
Not every exterior issue demands a repaint.
Sometimes a good cleaning is enough to fix a dirt problem. Sometimes a small localized repair solves an issue.
But when fading, cracking, peeling, chalking, damaged caulk, and worn-out trim become widespread, repainting can make more sense than fixing issues one-by-one.
Evaluate the home as a whole.
When multiple surfaces reach the same point, this is a good indication that the existing coating system is aging.
Prepare Your Arizona Home for Fall
Arizona fall is a perfect time to enjoy your home.
This is also a good time to see what the summer has left behind.
Walk the exterior of the house. Check the stucco. Look at the fascia and trim. Evaluate the caulk. Pay attention to peeling, chalking, fading, and exposed surfaces.
Then decide whether the home needs some maintenance or repainting.
iPaint Homes is specialized in interior and exterior repainting of existing homes. We know how Arizona weather affects paint and why surface preparation is important.
A little attention in the fall can help you catch problems in time and prepare the exterior of your home for the cooler weather.