Fresh house painting combats bugs, mold and mildew

Painting your home helps protect it.

Unless you live in Ocean Shores like I do, where the marine layer of fog hangs over the town for a good portion of the day and the damp just doesn’t seem to let go, the summer is the best time to paint or stain your house in the Pacific Northwest. All joking aside, we do get summer eventually and that means it may be time to paint your house.

Summer goes by quickly, so if you haven’t started on it, it’s time to get in gear! In Grays Harbor, we’re so near the coast that most houses need a fresh paint job every four to nine years. Is this the year for your house? But before the painting begins, you can do a few simpler things. 

An annual quick wash and rinse can increase the longevity of your paint job. So, if this isn’t the year to repaint your house, at least consider washing it. (We recommend using 30 Second Cleaner, a light scrub with a boat brush and then rinse with water. Power washing is not recommended if you plan to paint anytime soon.) When it comes to painting, whether you decide to do it yourself or hire someone, it’s good for you to know some tips for a good, lasting paint job.

After prep work is over

After you’ve carefully scraped, washed, primed and caulked, it’s time to open up that can of paint!  Please do not skip the prep work!  Paint is expensive and you want your work to last so you can enjoy the next few summers without that worry.   

The sun may not be your friend when it comes to painting your house. Just like it’s not ideal to paint in a downpour, it’s also not recommended to paint any surface in the direct sun. Doing so can cause the new paint to dry too quickly or “skin-over,” resulting in poor attachment to the siding, even result in blistering.

Painting in the direct rain or when moisture in the form of fog is expected can also cause problems. You can put a nice coat of paint on during a drizzling day, but it may not be there the next day. Working during a dry, overcast day is ideal. But if the sun is out, plan to move ahead of it (in the morning start with either the south or the west wall).

I know which side of my house gets the sun first, so I’ll start with a shady side and move ahead of the sun as it moves around the house. Working the house in sections also lets you plan where to start and stop when you want to take a break. If you must paint in the rain, try attaching tarps to the gutters and pinned to the ground to make a fly tent to work under. Again, working on the sides of the house that may be less exposed to the wind and blowing rain.

Don’t paint too late in day

If you decide to apply your paint with a sprayer, we suggest using it to load the wall area in front of you, then immediately back-brush (go over the sprayed areas with a paint brush) the sprayed surfaces, catching the drips, evening-out the thick and thin spots and maximizing the bond of the paint to the siding. This way you’ll never have to dip your paint brush in a can again and you’ll get the job done fast. 

Spraying out too far past your ability to back-brush can cause the paint to sag, drip, glop and surface-dry. In other words, it won’t be the best job.

Another caution: Don’t paint too late in the day. In late summer and early fall, we often experience fog in the afternoon. Painting late in the day, can result in trapped moisture behind the paint. The next sunny day, the heated moisture can turn all your hard work into a paint-blistering nightmare.

Trim does more than make a house look pretty

Trim around your windows has an important job. The trim acts as a seal and water barrier to keep water from getting under the siding around the window. The bottom of the window, called the "sill,” is where all the rain running down your windows ends up. The window sill is usually well sloped for water run-off and projects beyond the siding so the water will drip straight to the ground.

The condition of these windowsills is critical. When left unpainted, the sun and rain will make them crack and absorb water rather than shed it away.  Gradually, the absorbed water will create perfect conditions for this wood sill to decay, eventually, all the way into the house framing, sheathing and interior wall surfaces. The bugs will feast and the seeping molds and powdery mildews will take over the wall.  Major damage and major expenses usually follow this lack of concern for timely caulking and painting.

Doors are key to success

Doors require the same initial scrutiny and timely care as windows. Dry-rot can often be found where the metal threshold meets the wood jambs. If minor deterioration has occurred, you can scrape out the rot and treat with bleach to kill any remaining fungus. (Dry rot is a fungus.)

After everything is dry, fill any holes or large cracks with wood putty, sand smooth, prime and double coat with good paint.

At the same time, check out the general operation of each door. A door will operate quietly with a drop of oil at each hinge pin. If the insulation strips are in good shape, there will be no gaps for air to enter around or under it. And, the locks will work smoothly when the door is properly aligned, and the locks get a shot of silicone.

Painting your front door in an eye-catching-color lets everyone know where your entry is and will enhance your new paint job, too.

Make your address visible

When you’re painting your house is a good time to determine if your house numbers are prominently displayed. Not only will this aid delivery trucks and out-of-the-area friends to find your house, it is also a safety measure so that firefighters and police can quickly find you in an emergency.

It doesn’t hurt to even have two sets of numbers, one near your front door and one on the fence near a driveway or in another helpful location. Whatever color or style you decide on, make sure it is easy to see and read from the street. Good luck and be safe with your summer painting project!