5 home projects to only do during warm summer weather

1. Paint the outside of your house. 

House painters tell us that painting is optimally done during a prolonged period of dry weather and in temps between 40 and 85 degrees. Dry wood absorbs paint better. But it’s a balancing act, if it’s too hot the paint can dry too fast and leave brush marks or the consistency of the paint can change. Same goes for the inside of your house. If you have an older home without wall insulation, you may find that in the winter, exterior walls conduct the cold and damp from the outside. This can impact your paint drying and color. So open the windows and roll now.

2. Caulking windows and doors.

Caulking is a great way to prevent drafts and save energy. Most people don’t think of caulking until fall comes, but summer is the best time to caulk. On the package of regular caulk is the manufacturer’s recommended temperature for use. This is typically between 40 – 80 degrees, plus dry weather for at least 2-3 days afterwards. This combination will encourage the caulk to harden properly and stick where you put it. Doing it in the rain can cause it to crack or even wash away if it doesn’t set first. There are high and low temperature specialty caulks and silicones available, but we’re referring to the most common kind.  It’s also a good time to replace windows, but that can be done at any time of year in the Northwest, rain or shine.