Learn how the sun can impact the exterior of your home, including the siding and paint.
If you are looking at the exterior of your home, and you notice it looks a bit faded, you may start to wonder if you are imagining things or if the exterior of a home can really fade in the sun. Unfortunately, exteriors can fade thanks to many outside weather elements, including the sun, but there are things you can do to minimize the fading.
Your house’s exterior can fade when they are exposed to outdoor elements, including direct ultraviolet rays from the sun. However, while the sun can cause paint and siding to fade, there are actions that you can take to help minimize the fading. This can keep your exterior looking its best, regardless of how much sun exposure the exterior of your home gets.
If you have noticed that your exterior is starting to look faded, you may wonder what impact the sun has on your home’s siding and on the paint that is used on the siding. Keep reading to learn more about the reasons why house exteriors can fade or crack in the sun, and what steps you can take to minimize the impact that sunlight and outside weather elements can have on the exterior of your home.
Can House Exterior Fade in The Sun?
The exterior of your home can fade as it is exposed to direct sunlight, as well as other exterior elements, such as rain, snow, ice, dirt, dust, pollen and pollutants. The type of siding that is installed on your home, the exterior paint color of your home, and the type of exterior paint that is used on the siding, as well as the amount of direct exposure that your home gets to the sun, all play a direct role in how faded your home will look as it is exposed to UV rays from the sun and outdoor elements. Selecting your siding and paint options well can help the exterior of your home to look great, even if it has been years since the home was last painted.
Can House Exterior Crack in the Sun?
Another question that you may have is can house exterior crack in the sun, or can house exterior vinyl crack in the sun? The exterior surfaces of your home can crack in the sun if your siding is not well cared for. Different types of siding, including vinyl and wood, contract and expand as the siding heats up or cools off. This constant expansion and contraction can lead to cracks forming in the siding and can cause those cracks in your siding to grow or expand.
If you notice any cracks in your siding, you will want to get those cracks repaired by a siding professional. Cracks in your siding can allow pests to enter your home or can cause water problems. As such, fast repairs for siding cracks are a must.
Can House Exterior Vent Crack in the Sun?
Exterior vents help you to maintain the temperature in your home, while also helping you to maintain the humidity or moisture level in your home. Vents are typically used for things such as your clothes dryer, your heating system, and gas fireplaces, helping to vent and discard excess heat outside of your home. Now that you know that the exterior paint job on your home can fade and even crack due to UV rays, you may find yourself wondering if your exterior vents can crack due to the sun’s rays as well. Most exterior vents are made from metal, and it can be hard for metal to crack. As such, it is rare that exterior vents crack. But, while it is rare, it can happen. As such, you should always inspect your vents, looking for signs of cracks and damage.
What Other Outdoor Elements Can Impact the Exterior of Your Home?
Exterior paint fading is often caused by direct exposure to sunlight and UV rays. However, sunlight is not the only outdoor element that can cause your siding or exterior walls to fade. Your exterior paint products are constantly exposed to outdoor elements, including cold temperatures, hot temperatures, pollen, pollutants, rain, snow and ice. All of these elements can cause paint to fade as well, especially if you are using low quality paint or paint that is not designed to be used as outdoor paint.
Do Dark Exterior Colors Fade?
If you are looking to complete an exterior painting project, one of the first things that you need to consider is what exterior paint colors you are painting on your home. A fresh coat of paint can help to liven up your home and increase the curb appeal of your home. However, if it looks like the paint is fading quickly, that new paint job may not be worth it. As you select house paint, you should keep in mind that, as a general rule of thumb, darker colors tend to look faded faster than lighter colors. This is why you often see homes that are painted a lighter color, yet have utilized dark exterior paint for the trim. This allows you to get depth, dimension, and the drama that dark colors bring, while still helping to minimize fading by using a light color on your home.
Ways to Minimize Exterior Fading in the Sun
While you cannot prevent fading to the exterior of your home altogether, there are some steps you can take to minimize just how extreme fading can be. Here are a few key tips that can help you minimize color fading to the exterior surface of your home.
Always Use Exterior Paint for the Outside of Your Home
Anytime you are looking to paint exterior walls or the exterior of your home, you need to ensure you are using exterior paint. Interior paint simply fades faster due to harsh sunlight compared to exterior paints. Always look for paint that is specifically labeled as being designed for outdoor use.
Select High Quality Paints
Another tip that can help you to minimize exterior paint fading is to search for high quality paint. While low quality paint may be cheaper, it also may fade faster when exposed to direct sunlight, and may not last as long. Selecting high-quality paint helps your paint to last, while also helping it to look its best for years or decades to come.
Look For Paint that is Fade Resistant and That Offers UV Protection
As you look to select high quality paints for an exterior painting project, you should always look for keywords on the paint can. Some of these keywords include fade resistant and UV protection. These types of paints not only are designed to withstand direct sunlight and UV rays, but the paints are designed to last and maintain their color when exposed to harsh weather elements.
Pick Light Colors For Your Home
Finally, as you look to select the best paint for your exterior surfaces, always look for lighter exterior paint colors. Lighter colors show less dirt and look less faded, especially when they are exposed to the sun’s rays. Lighter colors can help ensure that the paint job on your home still looks new, even when it is several years old.
Best Exterior House Paint for Sun Exposure
If you are looking to purchase exterior paint products, you may be asking which exterior house paints are the best to help combat sun exposure. Paint products are always changing, and as such, new paint products can enter the market at any given minute. Also, the type of paint that is perfect for your home can vary from the type of paint that is perfect for someone else’s home based on the weather conditions where they live and the amount of direct sunlight their home receives. As a general rule of thumb, acrylic paints are the best types of paints on the market for painting the exterior of a home. If you are looking to paint the exterior of your home, always look for exterior acrylic paints.