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	Owning your own home is a great joy. It is also a big responsibility. There are many things that you need to do to maintain your home and protect if from damage, and prolong the life of the elements in your new home. We have outlined some simple tips to keep you on top of your home maintenance schedule, and some valuable knowledge on how to care of your home. We advise you to bookmark this page so you can easily refer to it when needed. Simply click on the items for which you need information and you are ready to go!		Caulking is routine maintenance that is vital in caring for your home.
	Exterior Landscaping Brick and Stone Siding and Gutters Paint and Caulking Roof Concrete Garage Doors Decks	Interior Appliances Floor Coverings Fireplace Windows Walls and Trim Doors Cabinets and Tops	Major Systems Air Conditioning / Heating Plumbing Electrical
	Landscaping Check for proper drainage. It is common for the area around your foundation to settle over the months. Your warranty will cover filling in the low spots one time. After that, it is your responsibility to make sure that the slope of the ground falls away from your home to help protect your foundation. Be sure to check all of your gutter drain pipes and make sure that they are clean of debris. Make sure that all of your splash guards are in place to prevent erosion. When adding landscaping beds and other improvements, your drainage plan can be affected. Be sure that you maintain proper drainage. A few things to keep in mind during the winter months. Always disconnect your hose pipes from your house. This will help to prevent your pipes from freezing. We always install frost-proof hose bibs, but these are not fail safe. The best way to protect your pipes is to disconnect your hoses. If you have an irrigation system you need to have it winterized by a professional. They will blow out the water in the pipes with pressurized air. This will protect your pipes from freezing. We advise that you not charge your system for reuse until late April. This we better ensure that the sever weather has past and it should be safe to operate your system. Plants and trees are not covered under your warranty, so great care should be taken in the first year to encourage growth. Pruning, weeding and mulching always helps to maintain a great looking landscape. Back to top
	Brick and Stone Over the years as your house settles, you may notice some hairline cracks in the mortar joints of your brick or stacked stone. This is a normal and can be easily fixed. If your hose has stucco board you can simply caulk the cracks and paint. For mortar joints in brick and stone, we recommend hiring a qualified mason to fix these. You may notice a white pottery substance forming on your brick or stone. This is called efflorescence. This is a natural occurrence and cannot be prevented. Efflorescence can be removed with a stiff brush and a solution of one tablespoon of vinegar and warm water. There are also commercial products available. Use caution when using these as some may cause discoloration of your brick or stone. Back to top
	Siding and Gutters You may notice that over the years your siding will fade due to the sun. Though great advances in vinyl siding have been made, it is not possible to prevent this from happening. The siding manufactures warranty that the siding will fade at the same rate, therefore keeping the same coloring. If you notice a change between siding panels then you should contact the manufacturer. Mildew and mold can form on exterior surfaces such as siding and gutters. Clean these areas with products that are designed to remove mold and mildew. Be sure to clean your gutters regularly. Making sure that they are clean of debris will prevent clogging and ice damming in the winter. Failing to do so could result in water damage to your attic or interior walls and ceilings. It is also important to check for damage after severe weather conditions. Back to top
	Paint and Caulking Wood or cementious fiberboard siding and trim will require painting about every two to four years. Be aware that areas exposed to mostly sunlight will suffer from sun fading and may require more paint than other areas. Be sure to caulk any gaps that may allow water penetration. Your local hardware store can direct you to the right type of caulk for your particular job. If you have some split wood or the nails have worked their way out, you can simply reset the nails, sand the area, add wood filler or caulking if needed and repaint the surface. Back to top
	Roof Roof shingles require little or no maintenance. Be sure to keep your roof free of debris, often times leaves and twigs can gather in roof valleys and become potential water problems. Check your roof vents annually to make sure they are not damaged or pulling away from the roof. It is also important to look for cracked or broken shingles. We recommend that you have a professional take care of any problems that you may have. Back to top
	Concrete You may notice cracks forming in your concrete driveway, sidewalk, patio, garage floor or basement floor. This is a normal occurrence with concrete and cannot be prevented. In some cases control joints are installed to help prevent cracking due to expansion and contraction. You can fill any cracks with concrete caulk. Concrete takes 28 days to cure. If you wish to seal your driveway or paint your garage floor, it is advised to wait a month or so before doing so. When cleaning your concrete surfaces we recommend sweeping or using a leaf blower rather than water. Overtime water can settle under your drive and increase the chances of cracking or heaving. In winter be cautious of what de-icing products you use. Some products may cause discoloration or other damage to the surface. Always try to keep heavy vehicles or equipment off or your driveway, as they can cause major damage. Back to top
	Garage Doors Your need to lubricate the rollers and hinges on your garage door. Typically a spray on lubricant will work just fine for this. If you have a garage door opener it is important to keep the electric censors free of obstacles. If the power goes off you may pull down the release mechanism for manual operation. Chances are that your opener is a screw drive type. You should lubricate your opening mechanism annually. Back to top
	Decks If your home has a deck, then it is highly recommended that you seal your deck with a water seal. This should take place after the wood has had time to completely dry out. Periodically check for nails that have worked they way out and reset them. Heavy loads can require more bracing. If you are installing a hot tub, be sure to have a professional look at the construction prior to installation. Lumber has tendency to bow and crown. This is impossible to prevent. Some boards overtime may need to be replaced. Back to top
	Appliances Be sure to fill out the manufacturers warranty cards and submit them. This will speed up the repair process if you should run into problems. Always read your manuals and follow the instructions for cleaning your appliances as some products may scratch or damage your appliance surfaces. If a gas appliance is not working properly check to make sure that the pilot is lit. Most gas appliances have an electric ignition to light the pilot. If you suspect a gas leak you should immediately shut of the main gas supply to the house and call the gas company. Always have water running when operating your garbage disposal. If the disposal is blocked you may use the crank key to manually remove any blockages. When done just press the reset button on the bottom of the disposal. Back to top
	Floor Coverings Carpet will shed in the first few months. This is normal. Vacuum as needed. Use caution when using stain removers on a carpet stain. Some products may cause discoloration to your carpet. It is recommended to change traffic patterns in rooms to prevent wear and tear. If you have blinds or shades it is recommended to keep them drawn to reduce sun fade. It is recommended to clean vinyl flooring surfaces often. Dirt and grit can dull the surface. Vacuum with the beater bar disengaged or sweep. Mop up spills quickly to reduce the chance of staining. Protect your floor from sharp edges by using furniture rests. Tile and hardwood floors can be swept clean or vacuumed with the beater bar disengaged. Mop your tile or hardwood areas with a slightly damp mop and warm water. Be sure to wipe up spills immediately to prevent staining, warping or loosening. Wood floors will expand and contract leaving gaps between boards. This is normal. If you experience severe gaps in your hardwood floors check with your manufacturer on what type of filler can be used. To prevent excessive wear and tear you can use rugs at doors and high traffic areas. Be aware that this may cause discoloring due to sun fading. Do not use rubber backed rugs on hardwood floors as they can cause discoloring. Back to top
	Fireplace If you have a wood burning fireplace be sure to operate it safely. Always fully open the damper before operating. Make sure the fire screen is closed during operation. Keep flammable items at a safe distance. Never leave a fire unattended. You should have your flue inspected and cleaned annually by a chimney sweep. Read your users manual before operating. The firebox should be cleaned of ash and debris after every four or five uses. If you have a gas fireplace and smell gas, you should shut off the main gas line and call the gas company. Never burn anything in a gas fireplace. Consult your manual before putting any cleaning agent or decorative ash in your fireplace. Back to top
	Windows Be sure to keep the weep holes on the outside of your windows clean of debris. These holes allow water to escape. Inspect the caulking around your windows regularly and re-caulk as needed. A silicon caulk is recommended for this application. .It is good to clean the tracks and use a silicon spray regularly to maintain proper functionality. Never lean a ladder on a window. Back to top
	Walls and Trim Due to expansion and contraction and the settling of your home, you will sometimes notice hairline cracks in the drywall and nail pops. You may also notice the shrinkage of caulk at trim joints. All of this is normal and is part of maintaining your home. For cracks in your drywall you may use caulk or spackling to fill the crack, sand the area and touch up the paint. Use a high-grade caulk where caulk has deteriorated around wood trim. For nail pops, you can simple reset the screw or nail and fill with spackling. Back to top
	Doors Periodically check to make sure that the weather stripping is securely in place on your exterior doors. Check that the caulking around the brick mold and threshold has not deteriorated and re-caulk as needed. This will prevent infiltration of air and water which will help lower your utility bills and prevent water damage. You may lubricate squeaky hinges with a spray lubricant. Be sure to wipe away the overspray. It is very common for interior doors to expand and contract until they are fully dried out. This expansion and contraction may impede the operation of your doors. In most cases after the first year the doors have dried out. Your builders warranty covers adjusting interior doors one time. We advise that you wait until the last possible moment of your warranty to have this done, as most cases will fix themselves with a little time. To prevent damage to walls be sure that door stops are adjusted. Back to top
	Cabinets and Tops Be careful to not overload cabinet shelves with heavy objects. This could result in breakage and possible injury. Use caution when cleaning cabinets as some furniture polishes will leave a waxy residue on cabinets surfaces that can be difficult to remove. If cleaning with a damp cloth be sure to dry off immediately as water can cause damage to the wood. Countertop seams should be checked regularly to make sure the caulk has not deteriorated. This is most important in wet areas in the prevention of water damage. Always clean spills up immediately to decrease the chances of staining. Some abrasive cleaners may scratch or damage your countertops. Back to top
	Air Conditioning and Heating Always leave service work up to the professionals. You should have your units checked semi-annually to ensure peak operating performance and to prolong the life of your units. Your air conditioning unit is designed to maintain a 15 - 20 degree differential from the outside temperature. During extremely hot temperatures it is recommended to leave your unit running continuously to improve cooling performance. Be sure to keep window and doors shut and draw the blinds to help in cooling. It is recommended to keep your thermostats set between 70 -72 degrees in the winter and 78 - 80 degrees in the summer. You need to change the return air vents every thirty days. Be sure to install these with the arrow pointing towards the airflow. You may notice that the temperature varies from the upstairs to the downstairs. You may adjust the output at the registers to help regulate the airflow to these areas. Keep furniture and drapes away from registers and return air grills to maintain proper airflow. As winter approaches you may notice an odor when using your furnace the first couple of times. This is normal and should go away after the first few uses. Back to top
	Plumbing If you experience a leak you should turn off the water supply at the individual shut off valve. If you cannot isolate the location of the leak you should shut off the main supply to the house. These are generally located in the garage or basement and were shown to you during your orientation. Now that the water supply has stopped you may contact our service department or if your home is out of warranty call the plumber of your choice. Drain traps are designed to keep sewer gas from entering the home. If you have plumbing fixtures that are rarely used you should run water into the drain about once per month to ensure the trap is full of water. Always use bath exhaust fans when using plumbing fixtures. This will allow the moisture to escape and help to prevent mold. It is recommended to let the fan run for thirty minutes after bathing. If you have a gas water heater and smell gas fumes, immediately turn off the gas supply at the cock valve on the water heater. Your water heater is fitted with an emergency pop off valve to relieve excessive pressure. You may test this valve by pulling the valve handle up. It is recommended to drain your water heater once per year to remove sediment. This will increase the life of your water heater as well as reduce energy bills. To drain the hot water heater: shut off the power and water supply to the unit. Connect a hose to the drain. Open the drain valve and drain about 2/3 of the tank. Be careful because the water will be hot. With the drain still open turn the water supply on to the heater to flush out the remaining sediment. Then close the drain valve, remove the hose and turn the power back on to the heater. If you do not feel comfortable performing this maintenance a plumber can do it for you. You can increase efficiency and reduce utility bills by not over heating your water. Use the manufacturers recommended setting on the thermostat. If you are taking an extended vacation it is a good idea to turn the thermostat down to save on utility bills. Never leave the power on to your water heater with out the water supply turned on. This will cause damage to your water heater and the heating element. Back to top
	Electrical Do not overload circuits. This can result in tripping a breaker and continuous use may cause damage. If power is off to a particular area of the house, check the breaker box. Find the breaker for that area and switch it to the off position and back to the on position. If this does not correct the problem you should contact an electrician. If the power is off to your whole house then check with your neighbors to see if they are experiencing the same. If so you should call your utility company. Your home is equipped with GFI outlets. These ground fault circuit interrupters are a safety mechanism near wet areas. You may test the operation of these plugs by pressing the test button on the outlet. You should here a click and the power to the outlet has been interrupted. Press the reset button to return power to the outlet. It is not recommended to use GFI outlets for appliances. Test your smoke detectors once per month to ensure proper operation. Press the test button on the smoke detector and the siren should go off. If the power goes out your smoke detectors will operate off of backup batteries. When the backup batteries are low, you smoke detector will alert you with an intermittent chirping sound. Replace the backup batteries and test the unit. Never attempt to work on the electrical system in your home. Call a qualified electrician if you need service. Back to top