How New England Weather Impacts Your Exterior Home Paint 

Mark Twain, also known as Samuel Clemens once said, “If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.” As a native New Englander and Bay State resident, truer words have never been spoken. 

New England weather can shift on a dime. One day the skies may be crystal clear and radiantly blue with moderate temperatures, and the next there may be a Nor’easter that dumps a couple feet of snow on the area. Yes, things can swing one way and then the other in just a day or two. 

How do these variations in the temperatures and precipitation impact exterior paint projects across our region? That’s what we are examining today. Read on to find out more about how New England weather may determine the timing of your home’s exterior paint project. 

Problem #1 Temperature Fluctuations 

New England winters can have such low temperatures and damaging precipitation, that the best months to paint outdoors usually range from March to October. 

Even during those months the temperatures during the daylight hours can shift wildly at night when the heat of the sun is gone. Our professional team keeps a close eye on the weather to be sure that we find a good window of opportunity where we will have good daylight temperatures and mild enough nighttime temps to allow the paint to properly cure. 

Experts at Consumer Reports conducted adhesion testing on paints and determined that the optimal temperatures for our region should be “at least 50°F when you’re applying the paint and shouldn’t drop below 32° F at night for several days after.”

Problem #2 Moisture & Precipitation

Moisture and wetness are the enemy when taking on a painting project, especially when you are dealing with exterior paints and adhesion. 

Moisture in New England comes in a multitude of forms including: humidity, rain, snow, condensation, and ice. When you add the heat and humidity together, you get a combination that can be a problem for many kinds of paints.

One of the key things our team will do before beginning your exterior paint project will be to look at the long term weather outlook to see if there is any forecast precipitation or, during the summer months, any humidity that could make paint adhesion a problem. 

Problem #3 Salt and Corrosion 

A large swath of Massachusetts sits along a beautiful coastline. While the water is beautiful, it also causes the air to be salty and that could potentially impact your painting project. 

Saltwater spray and salty air could potentially impact your siding and paint project on the exterior of your home. Bayside Home Inspections states that, “the small salt crystals will settle under the paint’s surface and the build-up will eventually cause the paint to chip away.” Choosing high quality paint and having a professional paint your home can help slow this process of corrosion. 

Do you have concerns about the weather or environmental conditions prior to your paint project? Talk to our experienced team today about your concerns and how we can address them. 

Categorised in: Exterior painting, Jerry Enos