Preparation is everything with exterior paint. Today you'll learn how to test your surface to see if it is OK or needs more work. From deep within the Carey Brothers' vault of test strips and "hot" painting tips, we bring answers to the surface. Indeed, says here if you're wondering if your preparation for exterior painting is good enough, here's a do-it-yourself test that is sure to clear things up. After removing all the loose old paint, and after more scraping and preliminary sanding, apply a small patch of new paint to the surface. Let it dry overnight or longer, and then press a piece of masking tape to the patch firmly, and quickly pull it up. If the paint comes up with it, it's not ready for paint. Sand and scrape some more. And that's the On The House tip for today.