HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR NEW HOME
Congratulations on purchasing your new home! This is a very exciting time, and at the same time a stressful time, trying to unpack, and organize your new place so if feels comfortable and functional to suit your tastes and lifestyle. Once you are all settled in, it’s also time to start thinking about how you will keep your home in tip-top condition.
Upon move-in, our Customer Service Team will provide you with a very detailed handbook to review, concerning your new home. It is very important for you as the new home owner to read this manual thoroughly. Just like a new car, a home requires maintenance to ensure everything continues to run smoothly for many years to follow.
It is important to note that most builder warranties apply to workmanship and materials, not to problems that arise because you have not been maintaining your home properly.
In addition to the items outlined in the manual, we would like to outline important everyday items for you to take in consideration to have your home looking as good as new for as long as possible. These items are:
- Granite Care – Granite is a natural product and may have surface fissures, holes, divots, or pits and will have variations in colour/ texture from samples to installed slab. Granite requires regular cleaning/polishing to maintain the shine. We advise you to only use ‘granite friendly’ cleaning products otherwise an etching effect (dulling) may occur.
- Hardwood – Hardwood is a natural product and is acceptable to have defects up to 5%. Each piece of wood differs from one another in grain and color, as well as from samples to installed product. During the heating season, gaps between the boards may develop. ‘Over-wood’, wood expansion from moisture, is inherent on pre-finished floors and is not a defect (it is acceptable to have up to a credit card of thickness in variation). Use of stain filler to correct impurities after installation is an acceptable procedure. Exposure to sunlight will change the colour of the wood and is not considered a defect. Only use ‘hardwood friendly’ cleaning products. Do not use ‘wet’ type cleaners (e.g. Swiffer Wet, Enviro Steam, etc.). Grit, dirt, pet claws, high heels and the moving of appliances can scratch and/or dent the hardwood and outside water can stain it. Use mats at entrances w/ appropriate backing and felt pads under furniture. Consult the supplier for acceptable cleaning products and mats
- Carpet: You can add years to your carpet with regular care. Carpet wears out because of foot traffic and dirt particles that get trampled deep into the pile. The dirt particles wear down the fibers like sandpaper and dull the carpet. The most important thing you can do to protect your carpet is vacuum it frequently Vacuuming high-traffic areas daily helps to keep them clean and maintains the upright position of the naps.
- Concrete Driveways & Sidewalks – Concrete driveways and sidewalks are usually not sealed by the Builder, and it is recommended that the Purchaser seal the concrete soon after possession, weather permitting, and on a yearly basis to minimize pitting, scaling or spalling. Consult the Builder for acceptable sealing products. I addition, your concrete is made for residential use only, do not permit heavy vehicles such as moving vans or concrete trucks to drive or park on your concrete pads.
- Clean leaves and debris out of eaves troughs to prevent water from backing up and causing damage to your home.
- Change or clean filters and vents in heating and air conditioning systems, dryers, and fans every three months.
- Drain the hot water heater and remove sediment from the bottom of the tank in the fall of every year.
- Clean the humidifier in the fall, and the dehumidifier in the spring.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year.
- Check your furnace or blower for rust and signs of corrosion on a yearly basis.
- Hire a professional to check gas appliances and furnaces once a year.
- Humidy Levels: Proper humidy levels affect many important aspects of a home including health, flooring and windows. Set levels at: Summer: 45% – Winter: 25% – 35%
Above all, enjoy your new home!! Your home is one of the best investment you will ever make!
