Brush & Roll Painting Learning Center

Exterior Paint Warranty & Maintenance: How to Keep Your Home Protected

Written by Kaylea Kuhlman | Dec 29, 2025 2:49:08 PM

You finally invest in a beautiful exterior paint job, and your home looks fresh, crisp, and protected. But a few seasons later, you notice hairline cracks, faded trim, or small flakes starting to appear. You wonder, “Wasn’t this supposed to last years?” It’s frustrating to see wear so soon, especially after spending time and money choosing colors, products, and the right painter. Many homeowners think a warranty means they’re covered no matter what, but that’s not how exterior paint works. Without regular maintenance, even the best paint and prep can’t stand up to Omaha’s harsh freeze-thaw cycles, intense sun, and heavy rain for long.

At Brush & Roll Painting, we’ve spent nearly 30 years helping Omaha homeowners protect their homes with long-lasting, professional paint systems. 

Over the years, we’ve seen one consistent truth: the homes that stay beautiful the longest are those that receive yearly maintenance. That’s why our exterior paint warranties are structured as maintenance plans, because a little care every year saves major repairs down the road.

In this article, we’ll walk you through what an exterior paint warranty actually means, what it covers, and how our yearly touch-up visits protect your home from costly damage. You’ll learn:

  • The difference between preventive and corrective maintenance
  • Why caulking is the backbone of any exterior warranty
  • How missing a yearly visit can quickly double the amount of work (and cost)

By the end, you’ll know exactly how to keep your home’s exterior protected and how Brush & Roll Painting’s maintenance-based warranty can help you do it, with no surprises.

What is an exterior paint warranty, really?

An exterior paint warranty is a promise plus a plan. The promise: your paint system should hold up under normal conditions. The plan: we come back every year to maintain the system, primarily by inspecting and renewing caulk, and by doing small paint touch-ups. That yearly visit is what keeps your home sealed and your paint performing.

Why it matters:

  • Water is the enemy. If caulk fails, water finds hairline gaps and starts the cycle of swelling, shrinking, cracking, and peeling.
  • Small fixes are quick and included. Large repairs are not—and they’re what happen when small issues sit.

How long is my exterior paint warranty, and what determines it?

At Brush & Roll Painting, the exterior paint product you choose (or a similar paint approved by us) sets the warranty length. This doesn’t determine how long the paint will last. The paint will hold up for much longer than the warranty length.

  • Ultra Spec 500 by Benjamin Moore – 2 Years
  • Regal Select by Benjamin Moore – 5 Years
  • Aura by Benjamin Moore – 9 Years

Why product level matters:

  • Higher-tier coatings (like Aura) have stronger resins and better color retention, which means longer protection and fewer repaints over time.
  • Lower-tier coatings can still look great, but they’re best for shorter horizons or when you plan to sell sooner.

What’s included in the “up to one hour” yearly exterior paint warranty visit?

Each warranty year, we can provide a maintenance check. Typical tasks:

  • Full exterior scan: siding, trim, fascia/soffits, windows, doors, thresholds, railings, posts, and high-sun or west-facing walls.
  • Priority caulk refresh: especially around vertical trim joints, window/door casings, penetrations (vents, hose bibs, outlets), and horizontal seams that shed water.
  • Spot touch-ups: nicks, hairline cracks in paint, tiny peel starts.
  • Recommendations: if we see brewing issues (gutter leaks, sprinkler spray, dead flashing), we’ll point them out so you can address them before they hurt the finish.

If the work needed exceeds an hour, we’ll let you know the scope and cost before proceeding. Staying yearly keeps 99% of homes within that free hour.

What Happens If I Skip a Year of Exterior Paint Maintenance?

Skipping your yearly maintenance visit might not seem like a big deal at first, but exterior wear doesn’t pause. It builds on itself every season. Omaha’s weather cycles, hot summers, freezing winters, heavy spring storms, and humid transitions create the perfect conditions for small issues to multiply quickly.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:

  • A small gap in the caulk this year lets in a little water. By next year, that moisture can cause the wood to swell, opening seams and warping trim. What was a 10-minute caulk bead can turn into scraping, sanding, priming, and multiple coats.
  • A tiny paint chip turns into a hand-sized peel once the surface goes through repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
  • UV exposure breaks down paint resins faster than you’d think, especially on south- and west-facing walls. Add moisture, and you’ve got early paint failure.
  • Coverage risk: Preventable failures may no longer be covered.
  • Added cost: Work beyond the included hour is billable. Skipping a year is the most common reason repairs exceed that hour.

Every year you skip adds extra labor and extra cost, because the work goes from preventive to corrective. Preventive maintenance, like refreshing caulk and touching up small areas, usually fits within your included one-hour visit. But once paint or caulk failure spreads, repairs can easily stretch well beyond that hour, requiring scraping, sanding, priming, and full repainting in spots.

Why is caulking the main focus for exterior paint warranties?

Paint is your skin; caulk is the seal. When the seal fails, paint can’t protect the parts it can’t fully cover.

What great caulking does:

  • Seals moving joints so paint doesn’t split.
  • Keeps bulk water out of your building envelope.
  • Reduces drafts and energy loss.
  • Extends the life of wood trim, siding edges, and window components.

High-priority caulk zones we check every year:

  • Vertical butt joints where trim meets trim
  • Window and door casings (four sides)
  • Siding to trim transitions
  • Penetrations (cable boxes, A/C lines, lights)
  • Horizontal ledges and water-shedding seams

What’s covered vs. not covered under an exterior paint warranty?

Generally covered (under normal conditions):

  • Peeling, flaking, or loss of adhesion in painted areas we prepped and coated
  • Premature caulk failure at joints we sealed
  • Spot priming and touch-ups during your yearly visit (within the one-hour window)

Typically not covered:

  • Storm, hail, wind-driven rain, or impact damage
  • Substrate problems: wood rot, rust bleed-through from unaddressed metal, and failing prior coatings we advised to strip
  • Structural or water-entry issues: bad flashing, ice dams, leaking gutters, sprinklers soaking walls, and standing snow against siding
  • Vapor/condensation issues from inside the home
  • New modifications not part of our original work (added trim, new windows)
  • Skipping the yearly visit (breaks the maintenance plan and can void coverage for preventable issues)

If you’re ever unsure, ask, and we’ll explain whether an issue is paint system, sealant, substrate, or water-management related and how to fix it.

How can I keep my warranty strong between visits?

  • Mind sprinklers: redirect heads that hit siding or trim.
  • Clean gutters: prevent overflow down fascia and window heads.
  • Trim landscaping: keep shrubs off walls for airflow.
  • Watch thresholds and sills: call if you see soft wood, staining, or fresh gaps.
  • Avoid harsh washing: low-pressure rinse only; no high-pressure blasting.
  • Check snow lines: shovel drifted snow away from the lower siding when safe.
  • Power-washing: Keeping your home clean keeps dirt from permanently embedding into the paint. 

Which exterior paint should I pick?

Think about how long you plan to keep the home and how much sun and weather your house faces.

  • Ultra Spec 500 (2 Year Warranty/Maintenance Plan)
    • Good for budget-sensitive projects or homes hitting the market soon.
    • Works best on shaded homes or those with milder exposure.

  • Regal Select (5-Year Warranty/Maintenance Plan)
    • Strong middle ground for most Omaha neighborhoods.
    • Solid film build, good color retention, durable enough for mixed exposures.

  • Aura (9-Year Warranty/Maintenance Plan)
    • Top choice for harsh exposures (west/south-facing, hilltops, lake-effect winds).
    • Best long-term value if you plan to stay and minimize repaints.

How do I schedule or claim an exterior paint warranty visit?

  • Call or email our office and let us know you would like us to come out for your exterior warranty check.
  • We’ll confirm when your warranty began and is valid until.
  • We will ask if you have any leftover paint from the project.
  • We will ask if you can send us some photos of the problem areas ahead of time, so that we know what to prepare for.
  • We’ll schedule your one-hour annual visit
  • If it looks like we’ll need more than an hour, we’ll give you the time and cost before any work is done, so you’re never surprised.

What does a typical exterior paint failure look like?

  • Hairline cracks at vertical trim joints or window corners
  • Shadows or dark edges under the lower lap of the siding (water getting behind)
  • Peeling at the bottom edges of horizontal trim and windowsills
  • Split caulk that doesn’t spring back when pressed
  • Stained lines below gutters, light fixtures, or hose bibs

Snap a photo and send it. Early calls save money.

FAQ About Exterior Home Paint Warranties

How soon after painting does my warranty start?
From the final walkthrough date listed on your invoice.

Does color affect exterior paint performance?
It depends on the paint product. For some low-quality paints, dark colors can weaken the product. With an exterior paint product like Benjamin Moore’s Aura, they have “color lock technology” that binds the pigment with the paint molecules, so it doesn’t fade.

What if I add new trim or replace windows later?
New surfaces aren’t automatically covered. We can paint them for a separate cost; then they’re included in future maintenance.

Can I pressure wash my house?
We don’t recommend high pressure. A gentle rinse is fine. High pressure forces water behind seams and can void coverage if it causes damage.

If you don’t want to do the work yourselves, we can power wash your home for an additional cost before doing the touch-ups.

Will you touch up siding and trim paint every year?
Yes, within the one-hour window, each year for the life of the warranty. We prioritize caulk and water-defense first, then cosmetic touch-ups.

What if I miss a year but want back in?
Usually, we will still do the touch-ups to bring the paint and caulk to good standing (billable if beyond an hour), and then resume yearly visits going forward.

Is wood rot covered?
Rot is a substrate issue, not a paint failure. We can repair or replace damaged areas before repainting for an additional cost; repairs are not part of warranty touch-ups.

What breaks caulk the fastest?
Sun + water + movement. West-facing trim, window heads, and spots that get soaked by sprinklers are the usual suspects.

Exterior Home Painting in Omaha, NE

Now you know: an exterior home paint warranty is a yearly maintenance plan that keeps your home sealed, your paint looking fresh, and your investment lasting longer. ​​A quick hour once a year keeps your home sealed, your paint looking sharp, and your warranty working for you.

By scheduling your annual one-hour touch-up, you prevent the little things like cracked caulk or peeling corners from becoming costly repairs. Your paint choice sets the warranty length, but it is also a commitment to yearly maintenance for the life of the warranty. A painter's warranty is what truly protects your home year after year.

At Brush & Roll Painting, we’ve been serving Omaha homeowners since 1996, using high-quality Benjamin Moore products and detailed prep work to make each project last. When you choose us, you’re not just getting a paint job; you’re getting a partner who stands behind it.

If you are still getting started with your project and would like a quote, click here.

If you're still thinking on your project, click the button below to go to a exterior painting pricing calculator, so you can get an idea of how much it would cost to keep your home’s exterior protected, beautiful, and worry-free for years to come.