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Exterior painting season is just around the corner and you might be looking at your house and thinking it deserves some love this year. If you are seeing cracking, peeling, faded, or just failing paint then you’ll want to address that in the warmer months ahead. Considering hiring a professional Denver house painter? There are definitely some things to know before you begin setting up estimates.
Denver homes come in all shapes, sizes, and ages and it’s important for you to understand a little bit about your home before you start looking at Denver painters in your area. One of the first things you should consider is the age of your home. Many Denver homes were constructed prior to 1978. If your home was built in the 80’s, 90’s, or even more recently then you really can go about finding your painter as you normally would. If however, your home is pre-1978 then you will need to test for lead. A lot of homeowners are not familiar with lead and can end up getting a little uncomfortable with the prospect of testing lead positive but you really don’t need to worry. With the right Denver house painter you should be able to safely and easily repaint your home.
So, if your home was built before 1978 does that guarantee that your home is also lead positive? Luckily it does not but as we mentioned before you’ll need to test for lead either way. Lead tests typically cost about $100 and some companies do charge for them. Just ask your house painter whether they charge for testing prior to scheduling the estimate so there are no surprises. The lead test itself is as simple as rubbing a swab against your home’s siding and trim and this can be performed right on site. The reason you’ll want to test multiple areas rather than just one is because lead may be present on your home but not your siding, etc.
This is a very common question for many homeowners. Unfortunately, even if your home has been painted since its original construction you will still need to follow lead precautions if it tests positive for lead. This is because any prep work done on the house may remove the more recent layers of paint and expose the lead paint. An experienced Denver house painter should be able to walk you through the exact process for lead precautions at your consultation or over the phone so be sure to ask!
Again, a phenomenal and very common question. The truth is lead paint doesn’t present a huge risk to adults. This is because, typically, adults don’t pick things up and put them in their mouths. Can you think of who or what might do this? If you thought of your kiddos or your furry friends you are right on the money. The main goal of lead precautions is safety and containment. You want to make sure any lead paint is captured and disposed of properly so the little ones and your pets are safe and sound.
Not all painters are created equal when it comes to addressing lead and it’s important you find the right team for your project. A professional house painter needs to be lead certified in order to work on a lead positive home. This is something you should ABSOLUTELY be asking your painter. Painting is not a very regulated service but when it comes to lead you want someone who is experienced and will follow the precautions. If you have a painter who is coming in much lower in price than your other bids just double check to make sure they are following lead precautions.
This is just a jumping off point for you to find your perfect house painter so be sure to ask any questions you have. When it comes to the safety of your home and your neighborhood you deserve straightforward answers from your house painter. If you have any questions please reference our older blog posts or call us directly. We’re happy to help!