Stepping into your brand-new, custom home for the first time is an amazing experience. From the new appliances to the clean walls and flooring, it’s easy to envision the next chapter of your life here!
However, keeping your home in the same beautiful condition as it was on day one can sometimes be a challenge. But by following our ten tips below, your new home can remain in tip-top shape for many years to come!
Commit to a Regular Maintenance Schedule
Create a maintenance checklist for tasks needing to be completed both inside and outside your home. Listing weekly, plus monthly and seasonal duties can help divide up the workload.
Store supplies in an easily-accessible location to prevent excuses from happening with starting the work!
Maintain Your Property’s Curb Appeal
Besides curb appeal reasons, spending time conditioning your lawn and garden allows you to maximize the enjoyment of your property.
Although each season requires its own maintenance work, the majority occurs in the fall right before winter. This is when all outdoor faucets and hoses should be drained, and the grass should be cut short and fertilized.
To keep flowers beds warmer during the upcoming cold weather, surround them with mulch or burlap.
Know Maintenance Professionals You Can Count On
When your eavestroughs need clearing right before winter or your roof requires an inspection, do you have a reputable professional you can call to complete the task?
Having a list of numbers handy for specific home maintenance tasks (including a plumber, electrician, and HVAC technician) can make it easier when a job needs to be completed.
Inspect the Exterior
Especially crucial before winter, inspecting the exterior of your new home ensures small problems don’t turn into bigger ones.
Repair any exterior paint needing attention, clean and caulk any necessary windows and apply appropriate weather stripping.
Repair Energy Leaks
Although they may not seem like a big deal, small cracks in doors and windows cause your HVAC unit to work harder.
Repairing all window and door leaks helps create a more energy efficient home – and keeps your energy bills from increasing, too.
Set Ground Rules with Your Kids
Keeping a controlled environment – like ensuring there’s no eating anywhere except the table and drawing only occurs on paper – can help keep your new home clean and well maintained, even with kids living there!
Train Your Pets Properly
Don’t let your pets destroy your home! Keep pets that are not housetrained off the carpet, and clean up any accidents that happen right away.
Providing entertainment for your pets (like a clawing pole for cats), ensures boredom does not set in – which is when damage is likely to occur to walls and furniture.
Protect Against Fire Hazards
When you change your clocks forward or back, be sure to replace your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors’ batteries, as well as check your fire extinguisher(s).
Regularly cleaning out your dryer’s lint collector protects against a fire hazard, too.
Change Filters when Necessary
Consult your owner’s manual to see how often you should be replacing the filters in your HVAC system and refrigerator. Consult a qualified technician if necessary.
Don’t Shortcut on Major Repairs or Improvements
Down the road when major repairs or additions are necessary (think new furnace or adding an in-law suite), be sure to choose high quality.
Selecting high-quality improvements is not only a major resale factor, but it also helps with maintaining the same quality condition your home was built with.
Enjoy Your New Home for Many Years to Come
At Double Edge Homes, nothing makes us happier than seeing one of our reap the benefits of home ownership.
For more tips on how to maintain your home, or for information on how we can create a dream home for you, contact us today!