New England Painter's Blog

Tips for Choosing a Residential Painter

Painter applying exterior trimHomeowners assume that house painting is easy and doesn’t require much thought when picking a company to do the job. However, like any home improvement task, exterior and interior painting is an acquired skill – if you want it done right.

Sure, anyone can come over and cover your walls with paint, but in order to ensure it is done properly, consider these tips when choosing a painter for your home.

Reputation

A painting company that has been in business for some period of time will build up a certain reputation. Some will be known for prompt and professional work, while others will have garnered bad reviews for cutting corners and sloppy prep work. Do your due diligence and seek out as much information as you can about the painters you are considering and be sure to check online reviews to see what others have to say about their experience.

Experience

The more experience a painter has, the better. It’s nice to give newcomers a chance, but when it comes to painting a complete home exterior or interior, you really need to choose the most qualified company. Again, research the companies as best you can, find out when they started and the experience level of their staff.

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Should I Paint My House in The Winter?

Painter working on exterior of houseNew England has been known to have balmy winters, but is this season the best time for an exterior house painting project? Our professionals generally say no. There are many disadvantages of bringing out the paint brushes during winter.

If you’re considering an exterior upgrade, learn why holding off until spring or summer is often the best option.

Changes in Temperature

Although paint manufacturers are releasing more products that can be applied to an exterior surface in temperatures as low as 35 degrees, fluctuations in temperature can prevent proper adhesion. When it’s below freezing in the morning, but seasonably warm in the afternoon, it’s challenging to choose a “right time” for a job.

Increased Moisture

Another roadblock to adhesion, the high volume of moisture in New England during the winter months is not kind to exterior paint. When snow, ice and freezing rain pelt the outside of your home for months on end, it leaves the surface wet. Even if it feels slightly damp or even dry to the touch, the moisture trapped below the surface can mess with paint adhesion.

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Why Does Interior Paint Crack and Peel?

Mother and daughter testing paint colorsFor the average homeowner, the impression that guests have of your home is important. The typical business owner works just as hard to make their office space a welcoming environment for clients. When your interior rooms have cracked or peeling paint, it defeats that goal.

What are the most common reasons for cracking and peeling paint?

1. Poor Adhesion to the Surface

Before painting, it is necessary to prepare the surface. Commercial buildings can experience wear and tear over the years that result in scratches or holes in the walls. It is important to scrape and sand these surfaces before applying primer. In a residential setting, it is equally as crucial to prime before painting for a long-lasting job.

2. Moisture or Dryness

When condensation seeps inside your home or office around windows, the paint begins to lose adhesion with the wall. Such high levels of moisture can also be found in bathrooms from excess steam. On the other hand, extreme dryness in rooms that see little moisture can cause paint to split and crack.

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Preserving Home Interior Paint Jobs

Children looking at newly painted wallNothing lasts forever, but with the right care, you can extend the life and luster of the paint in your home. Time will certainly take a toll on the appearance of paint in certain rooms, but there are steps you can take as a homeowner to ensure your paint jobs last.

Clean Up Messes

Depending on the size of your family, you may have your hands full keeping the house neat and tidy. Young children have a habit of making a mess and the walls of your home are often the target of markers, food and other objects. It’s important to stay on top of blemishes by cleaning the walls, ceilings and floors as soon as something happens.

The kind of paint used also matters, since some need to be treated with specific cleaners so not to fade the color. You can’t watch your children every minute of the day, but the sooner you act on spills the better!

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Best Paint Colors for Commercial Interiors

Wallpaper and paint samplesChoosing paint colors for your home is pretty easy when you only have yourself to satisfy. However, when you are planning on painting the interior of an office, retail store or restaurant, you also need to take staff and client opinions into account.

To make your commercial building more attractive, consider these tried and true colors versus the hues you probably want to avoid.

The Best Paint Colors

Blues: Unlike the genre of music, blues are a popular color for commercial buildings. Great for doctors’ offices and other places where people may come in feeling nervous, a deep navy or soft sea hue has a more relaxing effect than other colors.

Greens: Like blue, green can also achieve a calming presence while still being active and upbeat. Greens work well in boutique retail stores, where the intent is to keep the client positive and engaged while browsing your merchandise. Green has also been proven as an ideal color for office conference rooms, since it puts employees and clients at ease during meetings.

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Benefits of Waterproofing Your Home

yellow house Your home is one of the most valuable investments you’ll ever make. Keep it protected from the New England elements with professional waterproofing!

The first place we think to waterproof is the basement because of its close proximity to the ground. For this same reason, it is also the first place to flood!

Although flooding is the number one natural disaster in the US, your gutters, brickwork and roof can also cause leaks when improperly maintained.

There are many benefits of waterproofing but first, how does the process work?

What Is Waterproofing?

At M. Brett Painting, we thoroughly evaluate the space before developing a customized plan to suit your needs. To accomplish this, we may install:

  • Discharge lines
  • Drainage
  • Pump systems
  • Tank protection

These mold-resistant materials help us to repair the sources of leaking moisture and keep them sealed.

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Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

open cans of colorful paintThe color of your house has a significant impact on its appearance. After many years in the same home, there may come a time when the property needs a new exterior paint job. With so many colors to choose from, how do you decide which is best? At M. Brett Painting, we are experienced in execution and customer satisfaction.

We offer four basic tips to help guide you through the color selection process.

Consider Your Neighbors

If you live in a busy residential area lined with houses, you may want your home to stand out. Yet, it is important to be conscious of the reaction your color choice may evoke. If the majority of surrounding properties are shades of white and gray, yours might look silly as the only lime green house. Also consider resale. If you’re not planning on staying in the same place forever, what colors tend to attract more homebuyers?

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Protecting Your Office from Fall Weather

office blogIf you own an office or commercial building, it is essential to protect it from the elements. As an owner, you are responsible for the building upkeep, as well as the tenant’s safety. When autumn rolls around, there are several seasonal hazards that can cause damage to your building. In certain circumstances, it may be enough that you need to close.

Here are the main areas to pay close attention to:

Roofing

Without a safe and sturdy roof, your office building will experience the wrath of fall weather. Rain, dead leaves, debris and other hazards can lead to water leaks and warping. Before the weather gets bad, make sure you have the roof inspected. If needed, hire a roofing specialist who can apply the necessary coating to ensure your roof doesn’t fail.

Parking

Depending on the size of your building, you may be responsible for a large parking lot. Cracks, potholes and warping can have negative consequences for the concrete used in your lot. These problems can easily become safety issues and you may be liable for damages a car sustains or worse, injury to a driver. Traffic coatings are important to the maintenance and longevity of your Read More

Fall Home Improvement Projects

fall blogSpring and summer are perfect times of the year to paint the exterior of your home. So, what home improvement projects are best completed in the fall? When the leaves change color and fall from the trees, we know that the winter months are on their way. With snow on the ground and sub-zero temperatures, exterior home improvements cannot be made. How can you prepare your home for the effects of winter before it arrives?

Start Winterizing in the Fall

It is important to prepare your home for cold weather before the temperature begins to drop. The last thing any homeowner wants is to encounter a problem when the winter season has already begun. These common issues can be avoided if you:

Inspect the Furnace and Vents

When October arrives and you click on the heat, it is likely the first time that your furnace has been running in seven months. Dust and other particulates have been building up over this time period, so fall is the perfect time to replace dirty filters. A professional can clean more thoroughly inside the furnace and check to make sure it’s still running properly. To clean your vents, vacuum the baseboard units where the warm air is forced out.

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When to Hire a Professional Pressure Washer

blog-pressurewashSpring and summer are the perfect time for a deep cleaning of your home’s exterior. That might entail scrubbing it down yourself, but a project of that magnitude ends up taking far more time than you expected. As a result, many decide to hire a professional pressure washer. So, what knowledge does a professional have that will ultimately save the average person time and hassle?

Equipment

While pressure washers are available for renting, these devices can be powerful enough to strip off skin from the body. A typical system delivers a stream at 2,000 PSI, while gasoline ones are double that.

For home improvement projects, the pressure washer is strong enough to take off paint and break apart asphalt when a small, concentrated stream is delivered. Yet, at a lesser PSI, it’s the perfect solution for removing algae and other debris clinging to your siding.

In these instances, a professional not only knows how to operate the equipment, but also has a far more comprehensive understanding of:

  • Distance
  • The stream’s pressure, and
  • Proper uses of a pressure washer

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