My column from the June issue of the Angie's List Magazine.

Summer is upon us, and if you’re like most members, your home and yard repairs are in full swing.

As you set out to hire the service companies that will make your wish list a reality, be sure to take full advantage of all Angie’s List can offer.

A recent member poll showed that 80 percent make a point of telling service companies they’re a member. Many think the name dropping prompts a faster response; others want the company to know they have the power to report.

Either way, we know from experience that service companies understand Angie’s List members are educated consumers who are passionate about speaking up for great companies. That gives you power that nonmembers just don’t have. And when you use that power for good, you raise the bar on quality customer service for everyone.

Dave Calvelage from Westerville, Ohio, knows firsthand how well this works. “I’ve had excellent results from telling the companies right up front that I’m an Angie’s List member, and I’m contacting them because of their rating,” he says.

Davina Fogel of Dallas does so because she thinks the companies make a better effort when they know their work will be reviewed on the List. She also wants to take advantage of Angie’s List discounts.

In fact, more than half of those polled use coupons offered through the List, and 54 percent said they save more than $50 on each project.

We were a bit surprised, however, to learn that 62 percent didn’t realize that Angie’s List only allows “A”- and “B”-rated service companies to offer discounts to members. So we followed up with a few to see if knowing about the policy makes them feel better.

“Definitely,” says Jim Faust, a member in Austin, Texas. “It’s not out of the realm of possibility that a company might try to entice a member into ignoring its rating by offering a coupon. It’s one less thing for a member to have to consider when choosing the right company.”

“When I found out coupons are restricted to ‘A’ and ‘B’ companies, it was like icing on my cake,” adds Shawn McPheron, a member in New Albany, Ind. “Thanks, Angie, and all fellow report posters. The List has made my life easier and less expensive.”

New York member Sima Matthes agrees. “So often in the world of home improvements, we are motivated by discounts, coupons and rebates. By assuring Angie’s List members that the vendors have satisfactory customer service ratings before they can post discounts, the List rewards good vendors twice.”

Our sentiments exactly!

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Angie’s List held a Medical Report Drive to jumpstart the introduction of health care categories. The first email we sent to members announcing the drive prompted 900 reports overnight – a new record! In all, we collected 9,433 medical reports and handed out 1,152 Angie’s List T-shirts; 319 ThighMasters and 167 digital picture frames.

Cecil Tuck of Phoenix, Ariz., is the grand prize winner and will receive a $650 gift certificate toward the purchase of fitness equipment from a local sporting goods store. “I didn’t even think about a contest. I have a couple of doctors that I think very highly of, and I wanted to let people know about them,” Tuck said. Thanks to everyone who participated and keep the reports coming!

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I have CreamCity brick on the lower part of my house, it’s painted, but is now peeling off. What is the best way to remove this paint? Do I need to seal the brick with something afterwards? It seems a bit flaky or dusty in areas. - Marcia Z., Milwaukee

Cream City bricks are porous, so they’re tricky to clean or remove paint from. The most effective method is a chemical wash, which you might have to call around for. Some contractors won’t touch the stuff. To remove paint, it’s probably going to require a few chemical applications with power washing in between, so expect your contractor to be wearing a full protective suit. You’ll need a sealer afterwards or dust and pollutants will settle into the bricks, making them much darker.

I recently asked for a few different bids for painting the interior of almost my entire home. I was surprised at the difference in bids I received, and one contractor told me it was because of different types of paint. Is there really a difference between one paint and another? - Lois B., Indianapolis

Absolutely! Paint is one of those things where you definitely get what you pay for. The more pricey the paint, the better the ingredients usually are, and ingredients are what makes a paint durable. A better-quality paint can last twice as long as one of lesser quality. That’s not to say that you need to go with the most expensive paint out there, but get the best type of paint that you can afford and you’ll end up much happier with the result, especially over time.

I always end up ruining the paint on my window sills. Is there a type of paint that will stand up to flower pots and moisture better than other paint? - Heather D., Nashville

Try an alkyd paint, especially if your sills are a lighter color. Alkyds are more resistant to moisture and general wear-and-tear than other paints, but they don’t hold color very well and they take longer to dry.

The last time I had painters in my home, they took off the tape they used around the trim before they left, and paint dripped all over and left a huge mess! I’m about to hire someone else to paint my dining room and I want to know how long the tape should stay up after they’re done painting. - Eric S., San Diego

Painter’s tape should be pulled up between 45 and 90 minutes after the paint is applied, but the blue painter’s tape is reasonably forgiving—just don’t leave it on for more than 24 hours or you’ll risk chipping the paint underneath as you pull the tape up. It’s best to let the professionals pull it up so they can fix any mistakes. Explain to your new painters what happened last time, and I’m sure they’ll understand.

How do you get rid of dried-on paint drips? - Matt H., Chicago

Your best bet is to sand the area with a fine-grain sandpaper and then apply another coat of paint. In the future, it’s always better to take the time to paint a lot of thin coats than it is a few thicker coats. You’ll reduce the likelihood of drips and keep the entire surface looking great. Remember: paint only hides color, not texture.

This is not about paint but about my driveway coating. It has been coated and is gray and looks like a painted surface. Can I use Thompson Water seal for concrete driveways on this? It is concrete that was coated over. -Rodger C., Columbus

Before you have any kind of seal put on your driveway, you need to know what kind of coating was used last, because certain kinds of coating don’t mesh well with sealer and it won’t hold. Once that’s figured out, make sure your driveway is power washed to get rid of the dirt and salts that accumulate over time. This might be the most important step, because if that gunk gets sealed in, your driveway can end up seriously damaged.

A home that is being considered to purchase has some bubbling on the wooden clapboard exterior. It appears on each side (not necessarily where sun is direct). Any suggestions for remedies, repairs, or indication of minimum or max problems. The house is newly painted (approx 1-2 yrs). -Sharon C., New Jersey

Bubbling and blistering normally points to an issue with water vapor. It could just be an issue with when the previous paint jobs were done, or the age of the structure, but it could be something more serious. The best way to tell is to puncture and peel a blister and see what it pulls back to. If it pulls back to more paint, then it’s a paint job problem, but if it pulls back to wood, you might have something more serious on your hands. It’s probably a good idea to have a pro come out and look at it before you sign on the dotted line.

I have track lighting (around the inner door frame) in my bath. The frame on the track has rusted badly (moisture).What do I use? First liquid sand and than a primer / sealer? (It’s a metal track frame, I was told when I purchased it that it was stainless steel; that doesn’t matter now). -Patricia C., New York

You’ve got the right idea! Liquid sand and then a sealer would be the way to go on this one. However, it might actually be more cost (and time) efficient to look into replacing the frame.

I am getting ready to paint the exterior of our house and have been reading up on paints. However, depending on the source of the info, there does not seem to be a consensus. Are there any recommendations for exterior paint for the Seattle - Tacoma region? -Rob L., Seattle

Make sure you find something with good water repellency and mildew resistance. And look for a better-quality paint, because even though they’re a little pricier now, they’ll last longer and you’ll save time and money in the long run.

Do you use a different kind of paint on stucco, than on the Hardiplank? -Diana N., Portland

There are paints for pretty much anything—including stucco and Hardiplank. A lot of latex paints can do double (or triple, or quadruple) duty, but be sure to check with your painter or an expert at the paint store before you start a project.

Any tips for updated exterior color palettes for a Southwest Tuscan-Desert with stucco exterior? All the houses around us were built in later 90’s and are a pinky beige or stark white. I’d like to warm things up a bit and am not having any luck locating tips on updated exterior colors although there are tons of great articles on updated interior colors. -Sharon G., Phoenix

There are a few colors for stucco that are gaining popularity. Browns with either red or gray undertones are becoming more readily available, same with sandy beiges and terra cottas. They’re all good options for standing out against the classic pinky-beiges or whites.

What is the going rate for painting Interiors??
I just had a small bedroom painted & was grossly overcharged! But, as I don’t have a clue what the “norm” is, I have no idea what a fair price should be!!! (& I’m planning on having the rest of the place painted as well!!) -Julie C., West Hollywood

It’s hard to say what the “norm” is. It varies from painter to painter and job to job because woodwork, trim, plaster and anything that might require a little extra attention can add extra work and change the price. To avoid paying too much, call around for some estimates. Get at least two before you agree to let someone work in your home, and make sure you ask what the quoted price covers so there aren’t any little surprises.

What paints are environmentally sensitive (green)? -Richard H., Philadelphia

Check our list of green paint products here.

When I had a new roof (cement tile) put on my house several years ago, the new drip edge was apparently not primed correctly before it was painted (with alkyd paint). Rust is beginning to show through the paint. What is the best way to get rid of the rust and would oil-based paint be a better paint selection? -Chris C., Tampa, Fla.

Yikes. That sounds like something you should have looked at. Depending on where the rust is coming from, you might have a more serious problem than poorly-applied primer.

I just recently had my interior walls painted by a painter who came with very good references. I was disappointed to see that all the roller marks are visible on the wall. Can you tell me what causes this and how to get rid of them? -Debora S., Rochester, NY

The most likely culprit for those marks was too much paint on the rollers. I suggest giving your painter a call and letting him know you’re less-than-thrilled with the final result. See if he’s willing to come by and take a look at it. That might be the easiest fix for you. If not, depending on how thick the marks are, you might have to have them sanded down with an orbital sander before you can do anything else. If they’re light enough, another coat of paint might make them disappear.

(Follow-up to a previous question) What if the roof is the color of milk-chocolate brown and made of cement tile? How would those colors above play against the roof color? Before you gave us options my husband was considering sage green (gray undertones). What about that color? -Sharon G., Phoenix

Greens have been gaining popularity all across the country lately, and a sage green with a chocolate brown roof sounds like it’d be a great combination.

What is the recommended way to paint over stained knotty pine paneling for the first time? The walls of my family room are covered with paneling that I would like to paint. Should it be sanded? Is a particular type of primer recommended first? How many coats of primer? Anything else that should be done to prepare the surface? Thanks. -Rosa F., Richmond.

Your paneling probably already has some type of stain or varnish on it, so you’re going to need it sanded down first. Then wash the walls with a trisodium phosphate wash so your primer and paint don’t stick to dirt or dust. The knots are going to keep soaking in the paint, so you should consider schelacking them. After that, prime and paint!

I would like to paint the drywall in my garage. The drywall is a tan color, and has never been painted. How should I go about this project, from cleaning the walls to painting the walls. Thank you for your help. -Kevin O., Waukegan.

To clean the drywall, you probably need to start by giving it a quick dusting. Get as much dust and debris out of the area, then take a cap full of laundry detergent, mix it in a 5 gallon bucket of water and use an old shirt or towel to wipe down the walls. When they’re dry, go ahead and prime and paint.

What is the key to prepping & painting interior 6 panel doors? Last time my husband painted them, the paint began separating/ cracking around each of the panels. We need to do it again, but this time, we may hire someone. What should we expect them to do to prep? -Lisa, D.C.

You can probably expect them to sand, clean and prime the surface before painting. They might be able to figure out what caused the separating/cracking from the first time around, too, which can save you time and money in the long run.

I’ve painted my interiors myself over the years and also had it done by professionals. I have a two story house, built in 1935, with plaster walls & ceilings. In some rooms the ceilings start to peel after a few months. This happens on both levels. Finally on the first floor I had a dropped ceiling installed. Painters have suggested a skim coat of plaster, but how do I know if that will adhere? Any advice will be appreciated. -Merri

This sounds like a widespread problem, which means that at some point, somebody goofed. My best guess is that at some point someone used an incompatible solution to prep the surface, and it’s still giving you issues from coat-to-coat.
If I were you, I would get a paint supplier sales rep to come for a visit. They should be able to take some samples and find the root of your problem, and when you get suppliers involved you get more of a warranty.

We have a home that has exterior asbestos siding and I would like to know how best to paint over this siding.  What is the best primer to use etc.  We have already been told that there is no reason to abate the asbestos as it is restricted to the exterior. -Lloyd C., Kansas City

Asbestos siding typically doesn’t require any special treatment, unless you have a problem like chalk or mold that’s been painted over. If there isn’t a problem, you can go ahead and use whatever primer and paint you prefer.
Thanks for your question!

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