SHOCKING ADVICE
If overhead wires deliver power to your home, get the electricity shut off before you put a ladder anywhere near them. Your survival depends on your being terrified of live wires.
WATCH FOR WATER
You can dodge up to 90 percent of potential paint problems if you are water wary. Replace leaking gutters, unplug downspouts, ventilate bathrooms, and remove overgrown foundation plantings that cause mildew, especially in shady spots. Don't paint in the rain, after it rains, or just before it rains. Ditto for high humidity.
PATCHING POINTER
When paint fails and patches of it have to be removed, the surface will be marred by sharp-edged craters. Smoothing, or feathering, the edges is more than a matter of good looks; it's your insurance against future paint failure. For this job, use a motorized sanding block called
a palm sander.
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