Caring For Your Home During Spring For every season your new Evans Coghill home will require some routine maintenance and up-keep to ensure your home stays as healthy as you do. Taking good care of your new home will help to preserve your home's value and avoid potentially costly repairs down the road. We have gathered a few helpful maintenance tips for you and have cataloged them by season. Make a selection from the seasonal options below to get started!
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| Bathrooms |
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If the caulking around your bathtub, shower, or sink appears dried or cracked, remove the old caulking and replace it. If you do not have a caulking gun, caulking material can be bought in applicator tubes or in disposable caulking guns. It is a good idea to fill the bathtub before caulking. This is a high maintenance area and it is very important that all caulking joints be checked and maintained on a regular basis (every 3 months or as needed). |
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| Cabinets & Kitchen Countertops |
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Keep all countertop seams dry. Maintain caulking between wall and countertop backsplash to prevent moisture from accumulating behind cabinets. |
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| Check the Fireplace |
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Have the chimney inspected and cleaned. |
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If you're not using your fireplace, keep the damper airtight to keep warm air from escaping your home. |
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| Check the Roof |
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Make sure the flashing around the chimney or vent pipes is watertight. |
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| Decks |
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It is highly recommended that approximately 6 months after closing and when deck is dry, use water sealant on the deck. This seal should be reapplied at manufacturer's recommended intervals. This promotes the longevity of the deck. |
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| Electrical Panel |
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The panel contains the main shut-off breaker to your home, along with individual circuit breakers to labeled circuits. An overloaded circuit breaker 'trips' and turns off power to the circuit, protecting the wire from overheating. To reset breaker, first switch breaker all the way to 'Off', then to 'On'. CAUTION: A circuit that continues to 'trip' may signify an electrical problem which should be repaired by a licensed electrician. It is advisable to maintain clearance around the panel for easy access in an emergency situation. |
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| HVAC |
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During extreme summer heat (95 degrees plus Fahrenheit), your air conditioning system is designed to maintain a 15 degree indoor to outdoor differential. Example: 97 degrees outside, 82 degrees inside. |
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| Insulation |
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Your home has been designed to provide the proper insulation for our climate. Open doors, windows, fireplace flues and clogged filters are more often the cause of inadequate cooling or heating than deficient insulation. A lack of proper window treatments can also prevent the heating/cooling system from functioning properly. |
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| Lawn Care |
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Established lawns should receive 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch; of water per week during the summer months. Deep watering (soaking) the grass is recommended. Light watering that merely dampens the grass is of little benefit and can actually harm your lawn. |
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| Louvers |
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If your home has a pitched roof, the space between the ceiling and the roof may have louvered openings. Louvered openings should remain unobstructed all year round. |
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| Paint Exterior |
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Pressure treated material is a durable material, the material has a tendency to split, crack, warp, shrink, and/or discolor. This is normal for this material. |
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| Seal Around Doors and Windows |
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Add or replace worn weather-stripping around doors and windows. |
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Replace worn door sweeps at the bottom of doors. |
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| Smoke Detectors |
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Smoke detectors are wired directly to your house wiring system, and also have a battery backup for your safety. They are installed in locations specified by local building code. Smoke detectors should be tested and cleaned periodically. During a power failure, the smoke detectors signals a lack of power by an intermittent beeping. |
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| Termite Treatment |
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Termites cause major damage to structures. It is highly recommended that you maintain an inspection and treatment program after the first year. |
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| Veneer |
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Keep steel lentils painted with rust resistant paint. |
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