Each month, we will be posting a new home maintenance recommendation to help you care and protect your investment. Our recommendations are based on protecting homes located in North Metro Atlanta and North Georgia mountains.

 Exterior Paint Problems (July 2011):

Has your property experienced any of the following exterior paint problems? By always using high quality paint that we properly apply to fully prepped surfaces, we avoid these problems and the headaches. Plus, we provide a written guarantee, because we stand behind our work.

1. Peeling
   Peeling is often the result of painting over wet wood. It can also result from moisture within the house pushing its way out. If you cannot control the moisture with exhaust fans, use latex primer and latex paint. Latex allows some moisture to pass right through the paint. Another cause of peeling is a dirty or a glossy surface.
   
   
2. Alligatoring
   This problem looks just like its name suggests: the hide of an alligator. Paint shrinks into individual islands, exposing the previous surface, usually because the top coat is not adhering to the paint below. Perhaps the paints are not compatible or the second coat was applied before the first coat had dried.
   
   
3. Blistering
   Paint that rises from the surface and forms blisters is usually due to moisture or improper painting. To fix the problem, first scrape off the blisters. If you can see dry wood behind them, the problem is due to moisture. If you find paint, then it is a solvent blister and is probably caused by painting with an oilbase or alkyd-base coating in hot weather. The heat forms a skin on the paint and traps solvent in a bubble.
   
   
4. Wrinkling
   New paint can run and sag into a series of slack, skinlike droops. This occurs when the paint you are using is too thick and forms a surface film over the still-liquid paint below. It can also happen if you paint in cold weather; the cold surface slows drying underneath.
   
   
5. Chalking
   This is paint that has a dusty surface. Some oilbase and alkyd-base paints are designed to "chalk" when it rains. When this happens, a very fine powdery layer is removed, automatically cleaning the surface. In most cases, this is desirable. But if foundations, sidewalks, and shrubs become stained, too much chalking is occurring.
   
   
6. Mildew
   This moldy growth appears where dampness and shade prevail. And, if you paint over it, it's likely to come right through the new paint. Use a fungicide such as chlorine bleach or a commercial solution to kill patches of mildew before repainting.
   
   
7. Running Sags
   Using a paintbrush incorrectly (e.g., too much paint on the brush) can create a wavy, irregular surface. To correct it after the paint is dry, sand and repaint surface, smoothing out the new coat to an even thickness.
   
   
8. Paint Won't Dry
   This is perhaps the best reason to buy high-quality paint. Prolonged tackiness is an indication of inferior paint. If you apply poor-quality paint too thickly or during high humidity, it will stay tacky for a long time. Good paint, on the other hand, dries quickly. If you think you may have an inferior paint, first experiment on an inconspicuous portion of the house.
   
   

Interior Paint Maintenance and Tips (June 2011):
 

Francisco's Professional Recommendations for Interior Room Painting:
 

1. Cover floors and furniture.
2. Patch all holes at walls and fill all cracks on trim.
3. Remove all electrical covers.
4. Sand all patches and entire walls.
5. Dust off all walls and moldings.
6. Start one wall at the time by brushing all around the trim and roll the wall.
7. Finish all walls on the room and then let them dry, once they dry see if they need a second coat.
8. Once you finish all walls, start all trim remembering to work from top to bottom.
9. Whenever you finish the trim, please go back and inspect for any neccessary touch-ups to both walls and trim
10. Clean the room, install all electrical covers, move all furniture back in place, and then enjoy you new room.

Sound like more work than you are interested in doing on your own? Want to keep your weekends free for rest and relaxation? Then call Francisco Languren and we will professionally paint for you!

Exterior Paint Maintenance (May 2011):
 

Francisco's Professional Recommendations for Exterior Paint Maintenance:

• Pressure washing  your house at least every 2 years will keep the mildew from building up and will keep your house looking like it was freshly painted.
  
  
• Remember to save touch up paint for the future and write down in a safe place the name, number and brand of the paint for further reference. Over the years, paint lables tend to fade making them unreadable.
  
  
• Write with a permanent marker on the paint cans the place on your home where that paint was used so you can remember later.
  
  
• Along the entire house, always check for cracks that may allow water to get under siding materials causing major problems. Some times, water damage repairs are more expensive than the paint job itself.
  
  
• If you need to seal a crack on the exterior of your house, use a good quality paintable caulk. After you apply the caulk, let it dry over night and then use you touch up paint to match the caulk to the color of your home. You may need 2 coats of paint to match existing colors. If your house is a dark color, the paint will tend to fade over the years; if this is the case, try to touch up only where you caulk.
  
  
• When you paint and when we paint for you, always use the best quality paint on the market. HIgh quality paint with longer durability, while more expensive initially, will last and make a big difference because you don't want to re-paint you house 2 years  later.
  
  
• If you have any exterior painting questions, give us a call at 770-7201462 or 770-407-9226.