Repaint aluminum siding that chalks

Q. Our seven-year-old ranch-style house has white aluminum siding that "chalks" and runs over the windows in a rainstorm. The window glass is hard to clean afterward. Is it practical to paint over the siding? If so, how? Corson Stell Westminster, Md.

A. repainting the siding is no special problem. The main thing is to first remove any chalk on the surface. Scrub the siding with a mixture of one cup trisodium phosphate (TSP) to each gallon of water. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. Continue the process untill all the chalk and gloss are gone.

A paint expert should then examine the surface to determine if a primer should be applied before you use a top coating. If no expert is handy, be safe, not sorry, by applying a top- quality primer. Follow with the desired finish coat in a sheen and color that suit your fancy.

The top coat can be either oil-base or acrylic.