Building Exterior Maintenance Information
Building Exterior Maintenance Information
Follow these important guidelines when using exterior paints...
- Use water-based paints instead of oil-based paints whenever possible.
- When spray painting, use smaller paint containers to minimize waste. Low volume, high pressure sprayers control over-spray, reducing paint waste.
- Mix paint indoors before starting work to minimize the opportunity for spills to enter storm drains.
- Use impermeable ground cloths while painting. Place paint cans in larger pans to contain drips and spills.
- Immediately clean up any spills that occur. Capture spills before they enter storm drains and clean them up using absorbents or other dry methods.
- It is illegal to pour paint, solvent, clean-up water or any other wastes down a storm drain or onto the ground. Recycle solvents and use excess paints elsewhere on-site or donate them to a local school or community group.
- Completely empty paint cans and let them air dry before disposing of them.
- If you're using water-based paint, clean brushes and equipment in a sink connected to the sanitary sewer. If you're using oil-based paint, contain waste paint and solvents for reuse, recycling or disposal as hazardous waste. Never pour paint down a drain.
- Use water-based thinners instead of petroleum-based thinners, if possible. Filter and reuse paint thinners until they're no longer effective, and recycle them through a commercial recycling service.