How To Maintain Your New Construction Custom Home [5 Easy Tips]

Building a new construction home is a great feeling- your appliances are brand new, you have the modern floor plan of your desires, and maybe even some “smart” home features. One of the draws to building a new construction home is that you won’t be faced with immediate repairs or renovations and most of your appliances and fixtures should come with warranties. 

Despite these positive aspects of purchasing a new construction home, it's important to remember that you’ll still have weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance to complete on your new home to keep it feeling new and to ensure that you’re not blowing any warranties.

Here are 5 tips from the experts at Creative Home Designs of Norman, Oklahoma on how to maintain your customized home. 

KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR HOME’S HUMIDITY LEVELS

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, keeping your home’s humidity levels between 30 and 50 per cent is ideal to avoid mold growth. To that end, make sure your home is properly ventilated and that all water runoff is directed away from your home. This includes installing gutters and keeping them clear of debris. 

Before moving in, install a humidity gauge for each floor of your home. You can keep a log or simply check it frequently to ensure your humidity remains at a comfortable level. In the summer, your air conditioner or a dehumidifier will help regulate humidity and in the winter an air exchanger or humidifier should help. 

CHANGE FILTERS AND CLEAN VENTS 

Change your furnace filter every ninety days, which is the typical lifespan for these types of filters. In a newly-built home, we recommend changing your filters every month for the first year to help with particles left behind from construction work.

Keep your home vents clean and clear from obstruction. This includes clearing out snow to prevent carbon monoxide from flowing back into your home. Make it a regular habit to clean and wipe down exterior lint traps from your dryer as well, to prevent lint from building up and creating a fire hazard. 

CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS AND INSPECT THE EXTERIOR

Remember to make it a regular chore to inspect and clean your gutters, especially after a rain or windy storm event. Make sure that leaves and twigs are removed to keep run-off water flowing easily and check your drain pipes to ensure that the water is running downhill, and away from the base of your home. 

While you’re outside, check your home and foundation for cracks or leaks. Seal these up with caulking to help keep your energy costs down.

CONSIDER YOUR LANDSCAPING

Once construction is complete, you’ll need to give your landscaping time to resettle. In Oklahoma with red dirt, it may not take as long for your landscaping to settle but once it does, inspect your home’s surroundings. Make sure that your land is sloped so that water runs away from your home. 

If there are areas where it’s not possible to keep water from flowing toward your house, you may want to consider installing french drains or consulting with a landscaping professional for an expert solution to protect your investment. 

READ THE OWNER’S MANUALS AND REVIEW YOUR HOME WARRANTY 

Be sure to check out the owner’s manuals for your new and smart appliances to make sure you are using them properly. This includes reviewing instructions on how to clean your new floors properly. 

Many new construction homes also come with home builders warranties that cover materials and workmanship. Be sure to review your warranty and understand how to file a claim should an issue arise. 

READY TO START DESIGNING YOUR CUSTOM HOME?

The professionals at Creative Home Designs are ready to help bring your dream home to life. Our experts work to create the perfect custom home design to fit your lot size and meet your specific needs.

We also use 3D rendering to analyze and maximize the efficiency, flow, and design of your home- and our design professionals will work to make it look great, too. 

We can also alter any of our home plans to fit your budget, needs, preferences, and lot size. You can browse more of our creative home design plans here.

Call us today for a consultation. We’ll begin by discussing your vision for your custom home and then we’ll get to work creating a design and layout just for you. Due to our extensive Oklahoma network, we can even connect you with trusted builders and providers who will see you through to the finish line. 

For purchasing and customization options, please contact us!