We pride ourselves on building and delivering homes that bring our clients' visions and imaginations into reality. We build dreams.
Along with a focus on aesthetics, we construct homes that are designed to maintain their lustre and beauty for decades. But this is only possible if a home is nurtured and properly cared for over time.
Once they have settled into their new home, it becomes increasingly the client's responsibility to maintain it.
As a professional builder, we offer a period of time in which we respond to warranty requests and address questions from the homeowners. This helps ensure a comfortable, secure and safe living environment and protects an important financial investment over time. Eventually the baton is passed to the homeowners for regular home maintenance.
And while every home we build is unique, specifically with regards to the various exterior and interior finishes, they all need proper care and maintenance in order to retain our clients' investment and help maximize their quality of life.
We see it as our responsibility to educate and help our clients tackle their role as good stewards of their home. For this reason, we present our clients with a comprehensive Homeowner's Manual that includes a maintenance schedule unique to the various aspects of their home as well as a myriad of pertinent information regarding upkeep of appliances, fixtures, interior and exterior finishes, etc. Here are a few good reminders of which to take note.
Wood Floors
All types of wood flooring material, whether solid wood, composite or laminate, require regular care. For pre-finished products, no waxing is required. Clean these surfaces using a regular application of warm, soapy water. To maximize the life of wood flooring, keep it dry and free of debris that can cause scrapes or discolor the finish.
Drainage
An engineered combination of a home's roof design, gutter system and placement on the lot work together to shed water from the house and its foundation. To maintain an optimum level of drainage, have the gutters cleaned twice a year, ideally before the rainy seasons. Also, adjust the gutter's downspouts to empty into splash blocks or extend at least two feet away from the home's exterior walls. If you add shrubs, flowerbeds or other landscaping around your house, angle (or grade) the dirt away from the home's foundation.
Appliances
Refer to your Homeowner's Manual to find the user manuals to all kitchen and other major appliances for your house. These guides typically include seasonal and periodic maintenance tips. For instance, your refrigerator coils should be cleaned twice a year. Check the seal of the door gasket as well, to make sure you're not wasting energy. In addition, the clothes dryer vent hose (between the dryer and the wall) and the vent louvers on the outside of the house should be cleaned out at least semi-annually. Every three months, replace the furnace filter, clean out the dishwasher strainer and drain and flush sediment from your water heater. Such maintenance chores allow these appliances to operate at their optimal performance and extend their usable lives.
Air Ducts and Ventilation
Air ducts and vent registers can become clogged or stifled with debris, reducing their ability to distribute conditioned air and keep your home comfortable. Approximately every two years, hire a professional service company to clean them out. For the same reason, clean the filters and check the general operation of ventilation fans in the kitchen and bathrooms so they work efficiently as well.
Roofing
Make regular and thorough roof inspections. Pay attention for missing or damaged shingles or voids in the flashing that may allow moisture or air infiltration. Replace or repair as soon as possible to ward off problems that can occur unnoticed, causing greater damage over time.
By following these simple guidelines, the time and energy owners invest into their home will continue to provide dividends well into the future.