Product review (5 stars): In a just world, the folks at Heartland would be wealthy...
Very few things in this world work as they should.  This is one of them.  Sorry you have to paint it.  Or put it behind something -- a bush maybe -- so it's not in direct sunlight.  I installed one unpainted in a fairly covered location and it worked flawlessly for 13 years before i sold the house and moved away.  still working for all i know.  I have one here at my new place now. It's amazing to me how little-known this product is.