If you’re thinking of updating the look of your home, you may think of condo painting as something inconvenient and time-consuming. You would need to dedicate more than a day for painting services, clear all the furniture, and find the best painter for an HDB painting service. But it could be all worth it. For one thing, your house or condo is one of the places you’ll spend time in the most. It’s a reflection of your personality, and its impression on your guests can bounce back on you. The integrity of your home is also important for your safety and health, shielding you from the elements and health hazards.
Repainting your home is not just a matter of aesthetic and design to make things look pretty, it’s also a necessity as well. So when the signs show that your house need to repaint, it’s time to call a painting contractor. But aside from the obvious signs of paint chipping or fading, how do you know when to repaint your home? Here are some of the signs to help you know when to pick up the phone and call a painting contractor.
1. Your paint flakes, bubbles, or cracks
Flaking, bubbling, and cracking paint is an effect of environmental damage. If your paint is not weatherproofed properly, water can seep into the paint and create mold and rot. This is why you will often notice paint flaking or cracking on house exteriors, where it is exposed to the elements. This can also be caused by most of the outdoor elements in Singapore, such as strong sunlight, extreme humidity, storms, and sand and ocean breezes.
In order to avoid this type of damage, your chosen painting service contractor will need to scrape off the flaking and cracking paint and remove all bubbling paint to smooth out the surface. Then, you will need to have the surface of your Singapore home repainted with new coat of wall colour, preferably with a good waterproof finish. There are many types of paints that are specially formulated for Singapore weather, to combat the effects of environmental damage. These paints are perfect for HDB painting or condo painting. While they are a little bit more expensive than the usual paint formulas, they may be perfect for homeowners who want to be secure against damage from sunlight and water.
2. Hardened Caulk
Caulk is applied to the spaces in between materials. With every surface, there will always be gaps between where materials meet, or underneath nails or in corners of walls. This is where caulk comes in, to cover these spaces to make sure that your house is proofed from extreme temperature and even outside noise. Because materials naturally expand or contract, caulk is designed to be elastic as well. However, as with every elastic material, caulk can lose its elasticity as time goes on. This is usually caused by extreme weather cycles, as days are hot and sunny, and the nights are cold. To know if your caulk is still elastic, you could press down the beads of the caulk; if it is hard and resistant, it will need to be replaced.
You may choose to remove the caulk yourself, by using a caulk remover and scraping off the excess caulking. However, you may not have to do this all on your own. Caulk removal may be part of the painting services of your contractor.
3. Fading paint
Fading paint is one of the most obvious signs that your home needs repainting. However, people often think that fading paint can be left alone for a while, thinking that it doesn’t really mean any serious damage that should be addressed immediately. Sometimes, this can be true. Paint can fade because of its exposure direct sunlight, an effect called sun bleaching. This isn’t surprising considering the sunny Singapore weather. However, when paint fades in areas that don’t have direct sunlight, this can mean something that requires your immediate attention.
Fading paint on shady areas can mean problems that are caused by water intrusion. If this is the case, you may need to check for water leaks to stop further damage. This is something that should be immediately addressed in a condo painting or HDB painting service, as water damage can mean extensive as well as expensive repairs if action isn’t immediately taken. Aside from choosing an ideal colour for my condominium home, your chosen local painter in Singapore will able to make recommendations for paint that is specially formulated to be resilient against water and water damage.
4. Paint color morphed
Other than fading the shade of the paint, direct sunlight can also cause the shade of paint to morph into a different color from its original shade. This new shade can be entirely different from the desired shade and can be a cause for sore eyes. If your paint color has morphed, you will need to repaint the surface again and make sure to seal this new coat of paint with a finish that can stand the effects of UV rays. To preserve the paint color of the wall, you may also avail of services like high pressure cleaning for walls in Singapore. Wall cleaning helps in maintaining and cleaning the paint off your property. Talk to your commercial painting contractor if they also offer services as such.
5. Before it looks like it needs to be repainted
You don’t have to wait for signs for your house to be repainted. Repainting your house before it shows signs of damage can save you a lot of time and effort. Plus, your preparation wouldn’t have to be as extensive. If you repaint early, you could skip having to scrape off peeling paint or replacing seals and materials.
A good rule of thumb is to hire a painting contractor every seven to ten years. However, you would also need to consider the materials that your home is made of as well as the weather conditions that it is subject to. In sunny Singapore, exteriors would have to be repainted more often, especially for exteriors that are made out of wood.