Published: June 27, 2011

CertaPro Painters' Do's and Don'ts for Aluminum and Vinyl Siding

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Over 90 million homes throughout North America have aluminum or vinyl siding for exterior protection and are therefore affected by the chalky, white bleed from aluminum, caused by oxidation, and the pitted surfaces produced by airborne pollutants.

CertaPro franchise owner, Arthur Dyck of Waterloo, Ontario, explains that "for vinyl, 15 to 20 years of sunlight often fade a once beautiful beige color to a blotchy pink. Mildew, algae and dirt also contribute to a sub-par appearance. But, often that damage is only skin deep."

For exterior house painting, both aluminum and vinyl can be restored to 'better than new' appearance with a properly applied top coating of quality exterior paint, and at a cost that is typically 25-30% of replacement siding. Repainting either material will extend its useful life many more years and give a great appearance with the same or a new house paint colors palette.

When repainting vinyl or aluminum siding, CertaPro suggests homeowners do the following:

Wash aggressively to remove dirt, grime, mold, mildew and stains from siding surfaces -- and from aluminum siding, remove all chalkiness. Vinyl siding normally has lots of surface grain that catches dirt and grows mold and mildew.
Allow sufficient time for drying after cleaning -- three to four days to make sure the weep holes on the underside of the siding have time to drain.
Consider the aesthetics of gutters, downspouts, eaves and soffits and repaint them to avoid awkward-looking white downspouts that contrast against freshly painted, new color siding.
Paint with color basics similar to the original finish and for vinyl use a vinyl-safe paint only changing color from dark to light and not vice versa.

CertaPro also suggests homeowners make sure to avoid:

Scrimping on the quality of primer or paint to save $100 to $150 on the cost of the job. Premium quality paints or paints labeled 'vinyl-safe' are well worth the cost.
Painting colors in direct sunlight, since all siding expands and contracts.
Tackling first-time painting of vinyl or aluminum siding if you're not experienced. Consulting professional painting contractors can be imperative. Free home painting estimates are available from CertaPro at http://www.certapro.com/schedule-house-painting-appointment.aspx.

Homeowners can almost double the lifespan of a siding through proper cleaning and paint, and, when working with CertaPro, can spend closer to $2,500 instead of $7,500 to $10,000 for installation of a new siding.

About CertaPro Painters:

CertaPro Painters is your house painting expert and offers house painting services for residential and commercial locations. Learn more about CertaPro Painters or schedule a free online painting estimate at www.certapro.com.

For more information please visit www.certapro.com or follow us at http://www.facebook.com/certapropaintersusa and twitter.com/CertaPro.