The cold weather can damage paint. The cold frigid winter weather may be literally peeling the paint off your house. And unless you have specialty paint and a warm spell in the forecast, you don’t want to start repainting until at least spring. Interior condensation and exterior ice are the major causes of peeling paint during the winter. As snow melts off a roof, ice often builds up in dams at the roof overhang.

This is typical of more poorly insulated homes. As this built-up ice melts, water can seep into the eaves and down the walls, causing the paint to peel.

In addition, paint damage can occur if snowmelt and other water leaks into joints with either damaged or missing caulk. The cold temperatures can also alter paint tones. In cold weather, dark colors can turn white or frosted looking.

Most of these cold weather paint problems can be avoided with proper insulation, ventilation and moisture barriers. There should be one square foot of venting in gable roofs for every 300 square feet of ceiling area. To reduce condensation that affects the exterior paint. All crawl spaces and the warm side of all exterior walls and ceilings should have a solid 6 mil polyethylene vapor barrier. In addition, bathrooms, kitchens and clothes dryers should be properly vented to the outside.

Don’t attempt to repaint and damaged until the temperature is above 55 degrees. .Painting when it is colder than 55 degrees can shorten the paint’s drying time, which can result in poor surface adhesion, cracking and potentially a total paint failure,

There is an exception to the 55 degree rule. Home Depot’s Behr’s Premium Plus Ultra line paint is a cold weather paint that is combination paint and primer that can be applied at temperatures as low as 35 degrees. There are other paint manufactures that have similar cold weather paints that can be applied in cold weather. These paints are specially designed to adhere to the surface when applied in cold weather.

How cold weather effects exterior paint is directly related to the moisture inside the home and the cold outside. Most of these cold weather paint problems can be avoided with proper insulation, ventilation and by having proper moisture barriers.

See related DIY paint projects:

How to Avoid Paint Roller Ridge Marks

How to Estimate Paint Requirements

How to Choose the Safest Paint

How to Dispose of Unused Paint