Whether you're getting your home ready to sell or just want to upgrade the look of it, painting your house's exterior will greatly increase its curbside value. You can either do the big job yourself or hire a professional to handle it for you, but there are several things you'll need to do first to prepare. 

There are many reasons to repaint your house's exterior, such as covering up an existing color that you don't like. If you bought a bright green home and you'd prefer a more neutral hue, it may be worth the time and effort to get rid of the gaudy color and replace it with a classic grey or cream shade. 

Due to the natural elements such as sun, humidity, rain, and snow, a home's exterior paint job may begin to fade, crack, or peel over time. This is especially true if you live in a location with a harsher climate. When this happens, you can greatly boost your house's aesthetic appeal by giving it a fresh coat of paint. If you're placing your home up for sale in the near future, the small investment of exterior house painting will most likely pay off in the end. 

Following are some tips for preparing your home or an exterior painting job:

1. Clean the Exterior 

If the current paint isn't in too bad of condition, such as no extensive chipping or peeling, and you're repainting it with a similar color, you can wash it in preparation. It's important to get off as much dirt and debris, such as soot from car exhaust, as you can prior to repainting. Painting a clean exterior will result in a smoother, longer-lasting application. 

You can either buy or rent a pressure washer to loosen and remove any stains from the existing paint. You can either simply rinse the exterior with plain water as the force of the flow will be sufficient, or use an environmentally friendly soap solution as extra cleaning power. Allow the house to thoroughly dry before painting it. 

2. Scrape Off Old  Paint

If the current paint is chipping or peeling, you'll need to completely remove it before repainting. You can either work on small areas where damage is present, such as around the base of the home, or remove all of the paint.

If you just need to a remove a small amount of paint, you can tackle the job yourself using scraper. For a complete exterior paint removal, consider hiring a professional painting company. This is especially recommended if the paint contains lead, which is harmful to breathe in and requires the use of special equipment, such as masks.