5 Signs Your Home's Exterior Needs Repainting (Before Hurricane Season)
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and on the Treasure Coast that means months of wind-driven rain, high humidity and storms. Your exterior paint is one of the first things standing between that weather and your walls. When it starts to fail, water has an easier path into stucco, wood trim and the gaps around windows and doors.
At JustinTime Painting, we paint homes across St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach and Indian River counties. Here are the five signs we look for when deciding whether a home is ready for a fresh coat, and why the months before June are a smart time to take care of it.
1. Faded or uneven color
Strong Florida sun breaks down paint pigments over time. If the walls that face the sun look noticeably lighter than the shaded sides of your house, the paint film is wearing thin. Fading is mostly cosmetic, but it's often the first sign of aging paint.
2. Chalky residue on the walls
Rub your hand across an exterior wall. If it comes away covered in a white or colored powder, that's chalking. UV exposure breaks down the paint's binder and leaves pigment sitting loose on the surface.
Chalky paint doesn't protect the way it should, and new paint won't stick well over it. It has to be pressure washed off and the surface properly prepped before repainting.
3. Peeling, bubbling or blistering paint
Florida humidity is hard on paint. When moisture gets trapped behind the paint film, it pushes outward and causes bubbles and blisters that eventually crack and peel. You'll often see it first on trim, fascia and walls near sprinklers.
Peeling paint leaves bare surfaces open to rain. Once that happens, water can soak into stucco and wood and cause bigger repairs down the road.
4. Cracks in your stucco
Many homes in Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Jupiter and Vero Beach are block and stucco, and stucco cracks are common as homes heat up, cool down and settle. Small hairline cracks may seem harmless, but wind-driven rain during a storm can push water right into them.
Before we paint, we repair stucco cracks so the new coat seals the surface instead of just covering the problem.
5. Mildew, algae or failing caulk
Black, green or gray streaks on your walls, eaves or north-facing sides are usually mildew or algae. They thrive in our damp climate, especially on older paint.
While you're looking, check the caulk around windows, doors and trim. If it's cracked, shrunken or pulling away, it's no longer keeping water out.
Why repaint before hurricane season?
Repainting won't storm-proof your home, but a well-prepped exterior with sealed cracks, fresh caulk and a solid coat of paint does a much better job of shedding rain than worn, cracked paint. Scheduling your project in the months before June also means you're not competing with summer's daily afternoon storms for dry painting days.
If you're choosing a paint, our guide to the best exterior paint for Florida (/best-exterior-paint-florida) explains what to look for. For most Treasure Coast homes, we recommend Sherwin-Williams Emerald Rain Refresh in a satin finish, which is designed to resist dirt and mildew and stand up to rain.
Get a free exterior painting quote
JustinTime Painting has earned more than 250 Google reviews from homeowners across the Treasure Coast. If you spotted any of these signs on your home, we'll take a look, walk you through the prep your exterior needs and give you a clear written quote.
Request your free quote (https://www.justintimepaintingllc.com/freequote) or call us at (772) 985-1842.
Serving Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Vero Beach and surrounding areas.