MORE IN THIS SECTION

Buying a new home is a major decision. Home buyers have a number of alternatives when making their selection so we make every effort to ensure your home built by ROEM is of the highest quality and industry standard. We take pride in our homes that carries beyond our construction efforts and into our customer service programs. The most important part of owning a home which looks new for years to come, however, is you.

Below is a list of tips we recommend you follow to keep your home in good health:

1. Know Your Home: Have you ever wondered how a furnace works? How about your water heater or the way rain on your windows is kept from coming inside your home. As a homeowner, everything in your home belongs to you and it is your responsibility to take care of it. The more you know about the way these items work collectively to provide shelter and enjoyment, the better you will understand what items need regular or special attention to continue working properly.

2. Create a Maintenance Schedule: A maintenance schedule identifying which home components need attention weekly, monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, and annually may take some time to create; but, will save you time and money in repairs down the line. Much like your car, your home and its components need a 'tune up' every now and then. Some examples include cleaning weekly, checking your lights and doors for proper operation and safety on a monthly basis, changing your air filter quarterly, the batteries in the smoke detector every six months, and cleaning out your sink traps each year. Of course the exact schedule should be according to how you use your home.

   Your new home may have come with a limited warranty to cover a number of the items in your home for a finite period of time. A recommended maintenance schedule is often provided which you should follow and keep close record of to ensure the validity of the provided warranty.

   Some key items to make sure are on your list:

   • Furnace, Air Conditioner, and other HVAC related items
   • Water Heaters, Sink Traps, Plumbing Fixtures and Garbage Disposals
   • Smoke, Heat, Fire, or Gas detection devices
   • Window, Doors, and Weather Stripping
   • All commercial Appliances and their connections
   • Roofing, Gutters, Downspouts, and Drains (where applicable)

   Some minor items which if forgotten could have serious implications:

   • Cleaning out the weep holes in your window sills to allow trapped water to escape
   • Cleaning out your drain traps to help prevent plumbing clogs and overflow
   • Inspecting weatherstripping for a tight seal around doors and openings to ensure the environmental integrity and efficiency of your home is not compromised
   • Ensuring exterior lighting on motion or light sensors are functioning properly for safety
   • Testing proper function of all shut-off valves and switches for gas, water, and electricity
   • Replacing the air filter to your furnace as often as needed to prevent damage to the blower and allow for the highest equipment efficiency
   • Vacuuming your carpet. This simple task can indefinitely prolong the life of your carpet if done regularly

3. Have Repairs Completed by a Professional: Unless you are aptly qualified to fix the problem yourself, you should have all repairs completed by a licensed, insured, and bondable professional in compliance with all applicable codes. What may seem like an added cost or inconvenience, can save you from the higher costs or greater inconveniences of improper repairs on major items. Particularly with critical items related to mechanical, electrical, plumbing, roofing, windows, or anything structural, a small mistake can have detrimental implications. Refer to the maintenance manuals and manufacturer information on basic items and leave the rest to the professionals.

   When contracting for professional services, be sure to keep records of completed work with your maintenance schedule

4. Consult your Homeowner's Association (where applicable): Your association can be a valuable resource in determining additional maintenance efforts found to be helpful. Don't forget the maintenance of your home will always be your responsibility.

The list above is far from comprehensive. In addition to the items listed, your contract-specific documentation, and the homeowner manual provided with the purchase of your home, you should always consider the manufacturer's recommendations for care and maintenance.

By being educated about your home and using good common sense, you should be able to keep your home looking great while prolonging the life of its key infrastructure components. In doing so, you will help maximize your property values, and minimize the time, energy, money, and potential loss of safety which occurs when things break down.