While Fine Line Homes offers one of the most generous warranties in the Calgary home builder industry, being proactive about properly maintaining your new house from day one can only assist with long-term expenses. With spring having finally arrived after another long Alberta winter, now is the time to brush up on your springtime upkeep.
In the spring, it’s a good idea to do a comprehensive check of both the exterior and interior of your home. If you uncover any potential issues, address them as soon as possible to prevent them from growing into larger, more expensive problems.
Custom Calgary Home Builder: Spring Exterior Maintenance Check
Winter can be very tough on your home’s outside, especially the roof, chimney and gutters. Here’s how to do a point-by-point inspection:
- Start with the roof. Don’t worry about climbing onto your roof, particularly if your home isn’t very old. Just inspect it from a distance with binoculars, checking all visible areas to see if there’s any sign of damage. Look for popped nails, missing or shifted shingles, and any other signs of wear and tear.
- Check the chimney. Fallen joints in the masonry or the presence of growing plants both indicate that water has infiltrated your chimney. If you don’t perform repairs promptly, both could lead to serious leaks and structural problems.
- Inspect the walls. Look carefully for any cracks, discolouration, or water stains, especially near downspouts and around your eaves.
- Watch your weatherstripping. A long, hard winter can wear down the weatherstripping around your windows, so this is what you’ll want to check.
- Don’t forget the foundation. While your new home’s foundation will last for years, you should always remain proactive about inspecting it. Look for any cracks in the foundation’s exterior, and have a foundation specialist perform a prompt evaluation if you find any.
Once the snow is gone, you should also perform some spring lawn maintenance. Rake away any remaining leaves and excess debris, and consider treating your lawn with an organic herbicide to prevent weed growth. Even if you can’t see any weeds, your soil’s pH levels have been affected by wintertime, and they could start to appear once the weather gets consistently warm enough to facilitate plant growth.
Custom Calgary Home Builder: Spring Interior Maintenance Check
Start by giving your home a thorough, top-to-bottom spring cleaning. As you move through your home room by room, space by space, do a quick visual check to see if you can detect any problems like cracks in the walls, mildew deposits, and wear or damage to floors or ceilings.
Next, do a careful check of the following home systems:
- HVAC components. In the fall, it’s a good idea to have your furnace tuned up to prepare it for the winter heating season. In spring, you should do the same with your air conditioner; even if it’s new, you should have it serviced annually to optimize your warranty protection and keep it running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
- Plumbing infrastructure. Check all your drains, sinks and pipes to make sure there are no blockages or leaks.
- Attics and basements. Your home’s uppermost and lowermost reaches can both become hotspots for mold, mildew, excess moisture, and animal or insect infestations. You should also make sure that your attic’s insulation and ventilation are holding up, and that no signs of foundation problems can be found in your basement’s interior.
Finally, give your appliances, windows, doors, interior paint, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors a once-over to ensure everything is as it should be.
Custom Calgary Home Builder: The Fine Line Difference
Your new Fine Line-built custom home comes with a comprehensive warranty, and you shouldn’t face any significant repair or maintenance issues for years to come. However, it’s important to take an active stance in your new home aftercare, and we at Fine Line Homes are happy to provide all the information and resources you need to protect the investment you’ve made.
Our customer care program is among the best in the business. Your custom dream home doesn’t have to cost a fortune. We can accommodate new homes of all budget levels. Visit us online for a free custom home estimate.
