Has it been a while since your last visit from the painting company? Have your painting tools been lost to the ages? Most design pros recommend updating your home's interior paint every five to ten years, depending on the style. There are many reasons to update your home’s paint scheme, including life events, new technology, and reaping the most from your investment dollar when you sell.

Sometimes the best time to repaint is when life presents us with an unexpected opportunity. If we can do a little research and advanced planning, we can often be ready when life provides the time and resources. Today, we will discuss some great times to update the paint in your home and why.

Technology Is Constantly Improving

New paints, textures, and techniques tend to emerge every few years in modern residential construction. As trends and designs evolve, paint manufacturers seek to take advantage by offering paints with new technology, like color changing primer. Paints are now available that sanitize walls, include unique textures, and glow in the dark. If the home is more than a decade old, these paints may have not been available when the home was last painted.

For example, today there are paints that include special textures that when applied with a special technique, looks much like leather. Today we have paint and primer formulations that cut the project time in half. Not to mention the availability of inexpensive paint sprayers that can provide the artistic homeowner with hours of fun and creativity.

New Life Event

Perhaps no time is better to update your home than when a new family member is on the way, or an in-law is moving in. Often, there is no better time to paint than when a room is empty and ready for a new occupant. Maybe the new occupant prefers other colors, or you simply want to make the room seem new. Either way, the new occupant will feel more welcome and at home. Changing the paint is often the least expensive, but most effective change a homeowner can make.

If you are expecting a new one or anyone sensitive to paint fumes, you might want to use low or zero-VOC paints. These formulas reduce or eliminate the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that can be a lung and eye irritant. Normally identifiable as the fumes the paint emits, these VOCs can cause sickness without proper ventilation.

Your Home Is Going On the Market

Homeowners interested in selling their home are looking for inexpensive and fast ways to give the home a facelift. Updating paint is usually the first choice, because it not only changes the look of a room, but can also cover up minor scrapes and scratches, not to mention offensive odors. Repainting can deemphasize some areas while making others more prominent, so real estate pros are great sources for advice.

Stale odors are also routinely reduced or eliminated by new paint, especially if the old paint is sealed with sealer or primer before applying the new. Be careful using bold colors though, because the perfect buyer may not share your love of periwinkle. A better option is a neutral tan or beige, because in many cases the new owner will be personalizing the home with their own paint anyway.