How Often Does a House in East Tennessee Need Repainting?

Ask five painters how often a house needs repainting and you will get five answers. The honest one is that it depends on the surface, the sun exposure, the quality of the last paint job and the weather. East Tennessee's weather is harder on paint than most people expect.

What Knoxville weather does to paint

Summers here are long and humid, which keeps wood siding damp and feeds mildew. Winters swing above and below freezing over and over, so moisture in the wood expands and contracts all season. South and west faces take the most sun and fade fastest. North faces stay damp and grow mildew. Each side of the house ages differently.

A rough guide by surface

• Wood siding: usually the shortest lived, especially on sunny sides
• Fiber cement siding: holds paint well and lasts longer between coats
• Trim and doors: often need attention before the siding does
• Interior walls: high traffic rooms and hallways sooner, bedrooms much later

Signs it is time

• Peeling, cracking or bubbling paint
• Chalky residue when you run a hand across the siding
• Faded color on the sunny sides compared to the shady ones
• Bare wood showing on trim, sills or the bottom edges of doors
• Caulk that has split or pulled away at the joints

Why waiting costs more

Paint is the only thing between the weather and the wood. Once it fails, water gets in, and a repaint turns into wood repair. Catching it while it is just faded or chalky keeps the job to washing, light prep and paint.

If you are seeing any of the signs above, get a free exterior painting estimate. For interiors, see interior painting in Knoxville.