Home Maintenance Care

Care For Your Newly Built Home

Find information quickly by using our table of contents below.

Bathroom

Your bathrooms come equipped with many accessories that generally only require periodic cleaning and adjustments if loose.

Mirrors

• To clean your mirrors, use any reliable liquid glass cleaner or polisher available at most hardware or grocery stores.
• Avoid acidic cleaners and splashing water under the mirror; either can cause the silvering to deteriorate.
• Acidic cleaners are usually those that contain ammonia or vinegar. Avoid using glass cleaners on plumbing fixtures as some formulas can deteriorate the finish.

Towel Bars

• Loose bath accessories can be repaired by tightening the small set screw on the bottom.
• The mounting bracket for bath accessories is attached to the wall with wall anchors (it may be necessary to remove the accessory and tighten the bracket).
• Towel bars are not designed to hold more weight than standard towels. Do not hang heavy objects or let children hang on or play with towel bars.

Caulk

Care and Maintenance Tips

Caulk is placed throughout your home to help deflect water from leaking behind finished surfaces.

General Information

• Latex caulking is appropriate for an area that requires painting, such as along the stair stringer or where wood trim meets the wall.
• Caulking that contains silicone will not accept paint and works best where water is present, for example, where tub meets tile or a sink meets a countertop.
• Time and weather will shrink and dry caulking so that it no longer provides a good seal. As part of your routine maintenance, check the caulking and make needed repairs. Caulking compounds and dispenser guns are available at hardware stores.

Home Exterior

• Inspect caulking around exterior windows, doors, trim, j-channel, and vent pipes. Always remove existing caulk before applying new caulk.

Home Interior

• Inspect caulking around interior windows, doors, trim and stairways. Always remove existing caulk before applying new caulk.
• The area where the backsplash of your countertops meets the wall is caulked with siliconized acrylic or latex caulk since it adjoins a painted surface. Do not use 100% silicone in these locations since it cannot be painted.

Wet areas

• Caulking in wet areas such as showers and tubs must be maintained by the homeowner regularly.
• Water intrusion behind ceramic walls or under floors can damage your home. Corners of tile and the where flooring abuts the tub should be checked periodically and resealed as needed.
• Use 100% silicone caulk for these areas. The surface must be dry and meticulously clean for best results. Always remove existing caulk before applying new caulk.

Cabinets

Care and Maintenance Tips

We have installed attractive and durable cabinets and shelves in your kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room to provide a warm, inviting appearance and functional storage space.

Cabinets Cleaning

• Remove dust from cabinets frequently with a soft lint-free cloth. The cloth may be slightly dampened with water or a spray-type dust remover.
• Do not use detergents or ammonia based cleaners, steel wool, soap pads or abrasive cleaners on your cabinets.

Operation

• Avoid placing or mounting small appliances beneath your wall cabinets. These appliances (such as coffee makers, toasters and crockpots) can produce excessive heat that can warp your cabinets.
• Do not overload shelving with heavy objects. For example, space out heavy cans in the pantry closet and in the laundry room with heavy containers of detergent or bleach.
• If hinges catch or drawer glides become sluggish, a small amount of silicone lubricant will improve their performance.

Polishing

• Wood and laminate cabinet surfaces may be polished once every few months with a high quality furniture polish.
• Do not use a paste wax type material or polishes containing silicone. Wax build-up is difficult to remove and will leave a residue that attracts dust and moisture.

Carpets

Care and Maintenance Tips

Carpet is a popular flooring choice based on it’s versatility along with the protection it provides to unfinished floors.

Cleaning

• Vacuum carpeting at least once a week. A light vacuuming is three passes; a thorough job may need seven passes. Heavy traffic areas may require more frequent vacuuming. Vacuuming high-traffic areas daily helps keep them clean and maintains the upright position of the nap.
• Have your carpeting cleaned professionally at least once a year to remove deep-down dirt and stubborn stains.

Protection

• If carpeting becomes loose or buckles, or seams begin to separate, contact a carpeting professional.
• Protect your carpeting from direct sunlight, as it can cause carpeting to age/fade.
• Check for loose threads. Trim any loose threads, so they don’t catch on vacuums or other items and unravel.

Reduce Staining and Discoloration

• Seek the advice of a carpeting expert to get the best stain or spot remover for your carpet.
• To remove spots, use the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning products, if using a spot removal product be sure to follow directions on bottle..

Tile Floor

This durable, tough, and beautiful flooring option adds value to your home and requires only basic routine care to keep it looking great.

Care and Maintenance Tips

Cleaning

• Ceramic tile is one of the easiest floor coverings to maintain. Simply vacuum with a special bare-floor attachment when needed; beater bars from certain styles of vacuum cleaners can damage the flooring. Occasionally, a wet mopping with warm water may be appropriate. Avoid adding detergent or bleach to the water.
• Clean the grout used between ceramic tiles with a brush and a mild cleanser. Grout cleansers and whiteners are available at most hardware stores.

Protection

• Use protective mats at all exterior-to-interior entrances.
• Use protective pads on your furniture bottoms to help prevent scratching the floor
• Don’t drag heavy objects, such as furniture, across the floor.

Reduce Staining and Discoloration

• Application of a “Seal and Finish” product immediately after you move into your new home can help reduce staining and discoloration of the grout between tiles.
• NEVER seal ceramic or porcelain tiles. Only grout should be sealed if you have ceramic or porcelain tile.
• If you have natural stone tiles, you should seal the grout AND the stone tile every 2 years.

Countertops

Care and Maintenance Tips

Whether you have granite, solid surface, or laminate, proper care and maintenance will keep your countertops looking great.

Granite Cleaning

• Always carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning your specific countertop material.
• Do not use abrasive or granular cleaning products and those containing acids or vinegar. Avoid using steel wool or other abrasive cleaning tools to prevent scratches.
• Clean spills immediately; do not allow liquids to stand on or saturate joints, seams or backsplashes.
• Clean with a damp, non-abrasive cloth and ordinary soap.
• Do not flood the countertop, especially near seams, as water can penetrate causing substrate damage.
• For Natural Stone and Solid Surfaces, do NOT use household ammonia based cleaner, as this can damage the finish of many countertop materials.

Protection

• Always use a cutting board, chopping block, or other protective surfaces as knives will scratch the countertop surface. Do not chop, slice, pound or hammer on any countertop surface as these all could cause substantile damage.
• Extreme heat will cause damage; always use a trivet, insulated hot pad or other protective device beneth all hot cookware, heat generating appliances or other heated objects on counter surface.
• Items such as nail polish and makeup can leave stains on the cultured marble or granite surface of bathroom vanities. Avoid using these products near the countertop or take precautions to protect the countertops while using these products.
• The caulking between the countertop and the wall, along the joint at the backsplash, and around the sink may shrink, leaving a slight gap. Maintaining a good seal in these locations is important to keep moisture from reaching the wood under the countertop and to prevent warping.

Sealing

• Granite countertops are porous and thus should be re-sealed annually. You can use a standard granite sealer kit available at any local home center. (To test if your granite countertops need to be resealed, drip a few droplets of water on the countertop. If the water beads up, the sealer is still doing its job. If not, sealer should be applied.)

Foundation

Care and Maintenance Tips

Proper grading was established for your home at settlement to properly absorb water and direct it away from your foundation.

General Information

• We are responsible only for initially establishing the proper grades and swales in the areas disturbed by construction. The Homeowner is responsible for maintaining such grades and swales once they have been properly established.
• Gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks should be kept unobstructed and maintained to divert water away from the foundation.
• It is important that the established grades be maintained, and the swales remain clear, so that surface water may flow away from your home.
• Be aware when planting new landscaping or building decks/patios to not affect designed drainage patterns in your yard.

Garage Door

Care and Maintenance Tips The garage door is a large, moving object and thus requires periodic maintenance to sustain performance.

Cleaning and Lubrication

• Lubricate all moving parts of the garage door annually with a non-silicone based lubricant to reduce noise while the door is opening and closing.
• Lubricate the key cylinder with graphite on an annual basis to maintain proper operation.
• Wipe down the wheel track to remove any debris and lubricate annually.
• Wash garage doors with a mild, non-abrasive household detergent and rinsed with water.

Main Components

• Operation of the garage doors is controlled by several different components.
• The Motor controls opening and closing of the door. The motor is plugged into a dedicated outlet in the garage.
• The two Door Sensors are a security mechanism to detect movement in front of the garage door as it is operating.
• The Touchpad controls opening and closing of the door from the inside of the garage. The Touchpad is connected to the power source for the motor.
• The Keypad allows opening and closing of the garage door and is located on the outside wall of the garage.
• The Remote Control allows keyless operation of the garage door and can be kept in your vehicle for convenience.

Operation

• Test to ensure the door reverses when an object is under the door. Use a block of wood or roll of paper towels for the test.
• If you hear a banging or popping noise while operating the door, ensure all the hinges are bolted tight and that the rollers are on the track.

Garbage Disposal

Care and Maintenance Tips

Your disposal system helps protect blockage in your pipes by breaking down food and other particles disposed in the kitchen sink. Disposals should be cleaned periodically and used properly for maximum effectiveness.

Cleaning

• Clean your disposal to improve the smell and remove any bacteria that may form under the rubber gasket.
• Place the stopper in the sink and fill halfway with water.
• Add 1/4 cup of baking soda and mix together.
• Turn on the disposal and release the water.
• Another option is to use citrus rinds: Cut a lemon into 4 sections and freeze; Next, chop it up in your disposal. The acid from the lemon will kill bacteria and leave behind a fresh smell.

Leaks

• If the disposal is leaking in the cabinet beneath the sink, place a bucket under the drip.
• Check the connection between the disposal and drain pipe. If loose, you can tighten to see if this stops the leak. If not successful, call your plumber as soon as possible and schedule a service appointment.

Operation

• Always use cold water when operating your disposal. This not only saves hot water you pay to heat, it preserves the disposal motor and cools the ball bearings which helps the motor last longer.
• Allow the cold water to run 10 to 15 seconds after shutting off the disposal.
• Avoid putting small bones, fruit pits and other hard objects in your disposal as these items will dull the blades.
• Always run the disposal before putting food into it. Putting large amounts of food into an inactive disposal can cause jamming.

Gutters

Care and Maintenance Tips

Gutters and downspouts direct water away from the home to designated drainage areas.

General Information

• Keep gutters clean of debris that can cause overflowing or ice damming, which could cause damage to the house.
• Keep downspouts from being blocked to drain properly. Remove snow and debris from the exits of downspouts to help prevent freezing and ice damming.
• Downspouts that end on sod should have an extension or splash pad along the ground to move the bulk water away from the perimeter of the home.
• The extensions must be in place and in their lowered position to move water away from the foundation. Always return downspout extensions to their lowered position after mowing lawns.