Painting contractors in Alamo will tell you that eliminating gaps in your home’s structure and walls can save you money. Filling in the gaps can reduce wasted energy – resulting in a lower utility bill – and help heat and cool your home more efficiently.

If the cracks or gaps are small, but many, they could easily be equal to as much as a hole two square feet or bigger! The result is the same as if you were leaving a window open all year long. A house that is not properly sealed can lose an incredible amount of energy every day.

Like most other solids, your house will expand and contract as the temperature around and inside it changes. This will cause small gaps to begin, and to increase in size. You might feel a draft, or notice more dust and dirt. Rain can get in behind the siding or walls, resulting in damage from water or mildew. The wood in the areas can rot, warp, or splinter.

Whether or not you suspect cracks or gaps in your house, you should check for them, both inside and outside, regularly. Areas that are most likely to have these small fissures include windows, doors, trim, baseboards, and other jointed areas.

If you find gaps, the next step is to fill them. You can hire professional painting contractors in Alamo to handle this repair, if you’d like, or you can choose to do it yourself.

There are two kinds of caulking – the kind you can paint (latex-based) and the kind you cannot (silicon-based). This is, however, not completely true. While latex-based caulking is much easier to paint, it is still possible to paint the silicon-based if you prepare it properly. Start with a cloth that has paint thinner or mineral spirits in it. Rub it on the caulking, and then let it dry. When it has dried, apply oil-based primer in two thin coats, allowing the first to dry between coats. Paint your chosen color over the primer in two coats, drying in between.

Another way is to rub the silicon-based caulk with rubbing alcohol, followed by shellac (two coats), then paint as before. You also could choose to coat the silicon-based caulk with a layer of latex caulk, which is already paintable. While these methods are likely to work, it is possible you may run across a caulking that really won’t allow anything else to adhere, so you may want to test it first.

Closing the gaps with caulking will help the paint to stay better, also, by keeping moisture out. Whether you do it yourself or hire paint contractors in Alamo to fill the gaps for you, it’s a wise thing to do for the benefit of your home.