WITH the festive season just around the corner, excited Christmas fans are already getting their tree up.
However, a few decorating missteps can result in costly damage to your home so it’s important to avoid these where you can.
To help prevent your festive decorations from damaging your exterior paint, Jack Reading, from Emperor Paint, has shared five mistakes to avoid and what you should be doing instead.
Avoid using adhesives for string lights
Adhesives, such as adhesive strips, glue dots and tape can pull paint off from the exterior of your home.
Be sure to check that the adhesive is designed and suitable for use on masonry paint and test one small area first.
If you’re looking to put up string lights, use gutter hooks instead.
For larger decorations, opt for those which are free-standing or that can be suctioned onto your window, to prevent damage to your paintwork.
Avoid hanging garlands too tight to the wall
Walls need to breathe in order to stay healthy and hanging garlands too close to the wall can prevent this.
Without high breathability, water vapour can become trapped in your property.
High levels of moisture can lead to damp problems or damage such as cracking. Eventually, the pressure will cause any paint to peel, blister or flake, which is the primary cause of exterior paint failure.
To allow your walls to stay as dry as possible, ensure that there is a small space for airflow between your Christmas decorations and the wall.
If you must mount your garlands, remove them promptly after the festive season to prevent prolonged moisture exposure to your walls.
Avoid using interior decorations outdoors
Ensure that your Christmas decorations are suitable for exterior use. This will help to prevent any dye from bleeding onto your walls, which can be accelerated by exposure to the harsh winter weather.
Similarly, it will help to prevent any glue-based glitter decorations from staining and causing your paintwork to peel.
Avoid putting decorations on unclean surfaces
Check your walls for any signs of organic growth or green algae as these can not only make your walls slippy, but can also be a sign that your wall has suffered from water ingress.
If left unresolved, this can lead to damp, mould, structural damage and costly repairs, so it’s important to take action.
Mounting your decorations on a clean exterior surface means that they are less likely to slip, helping to prevent scratches to your paintwork.
Cleaning your walls with a hosepipe will help to remove any dirt from standard masonry paint.
Avoid piercing your exterior wall
Avoid using nails to hang your Christmas decorations. Nails and drill holes break the paint film and allow moisture to penetrate beneath the surface.
Ultimately, this prevents your wall from staying dry and healthy. Instead, opt for less invasive solutions such as over-the-door hangers for wreaths.
