New Homeowner Maintenance Tips

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Make sure your gutter extensions are 6 feet away from your house. Water discharge too close to your home can lead to serious damage.

Install a vapor barrier in your crawl space. This will help to prevent insects from coming in and help control moisture.

Keep plants at least 6 feet away from the house, leaves touching your house can lead to pest problems and decay of siding/roofing materials, and overall decrease of building material life span.

When cleaning your asphalt shingle roof make sure to use a soft washer rather than a power washer. The use of a power washer can remove asphalt from the shingles and reduce the life of the roof.

Make sure that soil is graded away from the house. Water building up around the foundation can lead to serious damage.

Clear the soil a minimum of 6-inches below your siding. Soil being in contact with your siding will lead to deterioration of the material.

Make sure there are no rips in the insulation around your duct work. Damage to the insulation will make your system run less efficiently causing it to run more often and for longer periods of time.

When inspecting your plumbing lines, look for patina (brown or green coloring on metal as a result of oxidation) as a sign of leaking. Pay close attention to the hot water line if it is copper as these are more likely to fail than cold water lines.

A leaky faucet can waste water and boost your monthly utility bill without you noticing. Check the spout, the base and under your sink to see if any water is leaking or any moisture is outside the pipes.

If your house is poorly insulated, consider running any faucets on exterior walls at a slow drip during extreme cold weather events. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.