Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a veteran of homeownership, there are many things to stay on top of to keep your new home running smoothly.  Knowledge of how to maintain all of the elements of your home is an essential piece of information to have at your fingertips.  All you have to do is consult the index on this page, click on the item(s) for which you need information and you’re in business!

ArrowMark Homes

Quick Reference Guide         Important Numbers          Utility Numbers

Air Conditioning, Heating and Ventilation:

• Your heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system sometimes needs hours to heat or cool your home fully.  Avoid extreme swings in temperature settings; this will cause your system to work longer and harder.
• Have your HVAC system professionally inspected twice a year, at the beginning of the cooling season and again at the beginning of the heating season.  It is recommended to use a professional service company.
• It is recommended to change your systems air filter once a month.  Please contact our office staff for the type of filters used and the location of the filter in your home.
• Finding a balance of temperature from room-to-room (or floor-to-floor if you have a multi-level home) depends on many factors – not just your HVAC system.   Ceiling height, window coverings, sun or shade around the house, opened or closed vents, air flow between rooms, etc. all play a role in the temperature from one room to the next.  Try experimenting with these processes to find the right balance and comfort level of your home.
• Keep debris and trash from collecting around condenser unit located outside.
• Keep grass, trees and shrubs removed from around outside condenser unit as well.  Accumulations can affect the efficiency of the unit.
• Make sure that all furniture or other obstructions stay clear of your return air vent.  Such obstructions can cause the unit to work harder.  Keeping these things clear of the registers will help maintain proper air flow for maximum performance.
• Adjust thermostat setting to no more than 68 to 70 degrees in the cooler months and 76 to 78 degrees in the warmer months.  This will help to reduce your electric bill and lessen the wear on your system.
• Keep exterior doors and windows closed when your system is working.

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Cooling:

• Check your exterior condensation line often to verify that it is open and free from debris at all times.
• In two-story homes, you may need to close some downstairs vents and fully open upstairs vents to compensate for the fact that warm air rises.
• Avoid using the dryer or oven during the heat of the day.
• Close blinds during the day if the sun is shining directly through the windows.

Heating:

• In two-story homes, you may need to open some downstairs vents and close some upstairs vents to compensate for the fact that warm air rises.
• On cold days open blinds to let the sun help to heat your home.
• During the freezing months always keep your homes temperature above 55 degrees to avoid frozen or burst pipes.

Ventilation:

• Annually inspect your outside exhaust outlets to remove any debris that may be blocking them.
• Use exhaust fans installed in the bathrooms and kitchen to remove any excess moisture.  This will help to control the humidity levels in the home.

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Appliances:

NOTE:  The appliance manufacturer – not Arrowmark Homes – handles most warranty claims on appliances.  Contact the appliance manufacturer for all warranty claims.  Contact information is provided in your closing packet you received on the day of closing.

• If an electric appliance is not working, check to make sure it is plugged in securely and that no circuit breakers have been tripped.
• Fill out and submit all warranty cards that come with your appliances.
• Read and follow all manufacturers’ directions about safe handling, operation, care and maintenance of all appliances.  Your manuals are included in your closing packet.

Garbage disposals:

• Always run cold water when using a garbage disposal.
• NEVER put hands, metal, plastic or bones in the disposal.
• NEVER overload the disposal.  Excessive amounts of items like vegetable peelings can clog your disposal.
• If your disposal is not working, push the reset button on the underside of the system.  If that does not solve the problem, unplug the disposal and use the wrench provided to disengage the blade and dislodge any debris.
• You can review the manufacturer's literature on the Web site to learn about the need for blade sharpening and cleaning.

Microwaves:

• NEVER put anything metal in a microwave and never operate while empty.

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Attics:

• Attics are NOT meant for storage.    Stored items can prevent maintenance and proper air flow.
• When accessing your attic, take precaution.  Do not step off the wood joists or plywood flooring.  It will cause harm to you and the ceiling below.
• Do not disturb any insulation in the attic.  If you step on it or it becomes compacted in an area, re-establish the levels.

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Bathtubs, Sinks and Showers

• Clean with a commercial tile cleaner or fungicide if you have a Mildew problem.
• Caulk and grout deteriorate over time, check on a regular basis.  When deterioration is noticed, remove old caulk or grout with a sharp-edged tool. Re-caulk or grout with a similar material specifically made for wet areas such as baths, sinks and showers.
• Abrasive cleaners are not recommended to be used on faucets or any other metal or glass surfaces.  They will cause your fixtures to tarnish/corrode.
• A jetted tub should run with only clean, clear water.  No bubble baths, oils or soaps should be used, it can caused harm to the whirlpool motor.

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Cabinets

• Wipe up spills immediately, moisture will harm your cabinets
• Minor scratches and imperfections can be repaired or hidden by using matching wood tone filler.  Such products are available in most hardware stores
• Do not store heavy objects or stack excessive weight on the shelves or drawers.
• Do NOT store wet or damp cloths or sponges in cabinets.

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Concrete: Patios, Driveways, Garage Floors, Walkways

• Use sand or kitty litter instead of salt in icy conditions, salt can cause damage to the concrete
• It is normal for small cracks to appear in concrete surfaces over time.  Immediately seal cracks with concrete caulk or patching compound (available in hardware stores) to avoid water infiltration that could cause greater damage.
• Control Joints are installed to help prevent excessive cracking in concrete surfaces, keep expansion joints free of weeds and grasses.
• Clean up oil and gas spills immediately.  Pour kitty litter, baking soda or cornstarch on the spill to soak up the excess, sweep and dispose of properly when done.  Use liquid dishwashing soap and a stiff brush to scrub the stain.

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Countertops

• Always use a cutting board.  Cutting directly on Countertops can cause damage to the surface.
• Clean up spills promptly.  Do not use abrasive cleaners (liquid dish soap and water) when necessary
• Do not set hot items such as appliances, coffee pots, baking dishes, etc. directly on the surface of the countertop, use a hot pad
• Keep all countertop seams dry.  Maintain caulking between wall and countertop backsplash to prevent moisture from accumulating behind cabinets.
• Marble Tops and Surfaces:
• Periodic applications of paste wax may help maintain a high gloss luster and make cleaning easier.  Mild abrasives like automatic polishing compound or baking soda will usually remove simple scratches/stains.
• Fingernail polish remover can be extremely harmful to marble.

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Doors (exterior & garage)

• Temperature and humidity are a key factor in how your door operates (being sticky or loose) from season to season.  Keeping a consistent indoor temperature and humidity level helps to mitigate this, especially for interior doors.
• Minor adjustments may be needed periodically on interior knobs and locksets, especially when used regularly. 

Exterior

• Thresholds, door sweeps and weather stripping need to be regularly checked to ensure a tight seal exists.  A well-sealed door should be somewhat hard to open and close.  A slight, visible air crack around the door, however, is normal.
• Exterior doors will need to be re-painted periodically, depending on sun exposure and weather.

Garage

• Lubricate all moving parts on garage door every three months.
• Tighten bolts on garage door tracks annually
• NEVER attempt to adjust the garage door spring in any way.
• Every three months inspect all the garage door’s moving parts, cables, door panels, tracks and threshold.  Address any issues immediately; continued operation could make a problem worse.

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Exterior Surfaces: Stone and Siding

• Cement siding (Hardi) requires regular maintenance and painting.  Such maintenance is determined by many variables such as sun exposure and other climatic conditions.
• Consider hiring a professional contractor to clean your homes exterior on an annual basis.
• Hairline cracks may form on the surface of your mortar joints in your stone.  Some hairline cracks are expected but please consult with the Construction Superintendent to see how this should be handled.
• Regularly inspect your exterior surfaces for wear and tear issues.  This includes checking the caulking every six months.  If shrinking or deterioration is found, remove the old caulking and re-caulk.  Failure to maintain exterior caulking properly may result in water seepage into your home.
• Outdoor sprinklers need to be positioned away from the house.  Make sure that they do not water your siding.  This will help to prevent mineral staining and water filtration.

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Fireplaces and Chimneys

• Always open the damper before starting a fire and close it when a fire is not lit.
• Make sure your fire screen stays closed during a lit fire.
• Care should be taken when placing fireplace tools or logs on the hearth.  Tile is a fragile material and can crack, chip or break.
• Wood Burning fireplaces only:
• Have your flue inspected and cleaned once a year by a qualified chimney sweep.
• Use dry seasoned hardwoods for firewood, never burn a softwood tree in your fireplace.
• Clean your firebox of ashes after every four or five fires.  Make sure ashes are completely extinguished and cooled before removing and store in a fireproof container.  Never store ashes in the house or garage.

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Flooring (Carpet & Laminate)

Carpet

No carpet is stain proof.  Stain resistant treatments improve your ability to remove-not prevent-stains.  See your carpets manufacturers warranty for the recommended method on stain removal.

• Protect your carpet from long periods of sunlight by keeping blinds, curtains, etc on your windows.
• Do not use furniture with rollers/casters on carpets.
• PETS: Keep all pets toenails trimmed.  Long sharp nails may catch carpet fibers and cause snags.

Laminate

• Laminate floors require specific cleaning products.  Always refer to your manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Avoid wet mopping as water can enter the laminate seams and permanently damage the surface.
• PETS: Keep all pets toenails trimmed.  Long sharp nails may cause scratches.  Animal urine may cause discoloration, peeling and lifting of floors

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Hardware (cabinet/door handles, hinges, etc.)

• Use non-abrasive cleaners on all hardware.  Abrasive cleaners can cause discoloration on the finish of the hardware
• Silicone spray can be used on the hinges to help eliminate squeaking.

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Landscaping

• New lawns require at least 1 to 3 inches of water per week depending on weather conditions. 
• Put extra water on your trees, they need deep watering to help get them established properly.

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Plumbing

• Regularly inspect all visible water lines for leaks
• Locate your main water shut-off valve.  It is needed in case of an emergency
• Loose handles on tubs and faucets often can be corrected by removing the hot/cold indicator and tightening the screw.  Toilet seats can be corrected by tightening the screw under the hinge

Cold weather precautions:

• Always put protective covers over your outside hose bibs.  They can freeze causing them to rupture or start leaking
• Drain your sprinkler systems and shut them down during the cold months to prevent your pipes from freezing.  Ask the superintendent on how this operation works.

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Roofs

• Perform periodic checks of shingles after inclement weather.
• Avoid walking on your roof whenever possible.  Shingles are not designed to withstand pressure and my cause damage to the roof.

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Walls – Interior

• Nail pops in sheetrock are common.  They do not affect the strength of the wall.  To repair this if it happens, gently hammer the nail back into the wall, re-spackle and re-paint the area.
• Hairline cracking in sheetrock is normal over time.  The most common locations for these cracks to appear are the corners of rooms, near windows and in the ceiling.  You will see these cracks most often in a vaulted or sloped ceiling.
• Make sure your doorstops stay intact and are adjusted properly to avoid doorknobs leaving marks in the drywall.

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Water Heaters

• Make sure to read the heater manufacturers operation and maintenance manual to understand how to operate and adjust your water heater.

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Windows

• During the colder months you may notice a high concentration of moisture develop on the interior of the window.  This is normal when you have a drastic difference between the interior temperature and the outside air.  Use a clean, soft cloth to wipe it off.  

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QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO BASIC MAINTENANCE OF YOUR NEW HOME

This is a quick reference to some basic, necessary maintenance of your new home.  Not all items listed will pertain to your home or features that you have in your home.  Please read all manufacturers warranties for full details.

Monthly

• Replace HVAC return air filters, a good rule of thumb: when you pay your mortgage payment, change your filter.
• Check grout/caulking in all your wet areas.  Repair as needed.
• Test all smoke detectors

Quarterly

• Check caulk on all countertops and walls, repair as needed
• Check thresholds, door sweeps and weather stripping for air tightness.  Adjust as needed.
• Oil garage doors and tracks

Twice A Year

• Check dryer vent exhaust for lint blockage; clean as needed.
• Have a professional HVAC person come in to inspect your heating and cooling system at the start of the season.
• Check siding for caulk shrinkage, repair as needed
• Drain and flush water heater

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Important Numbers

Alsop Plumbing             254-699-6647

Bruce's Electric             254-628-6266

Inhouse Security           800-259-5054

Killeen Yardworks          254-953-3323

McNairs Appliance          512-681-0010

Traeco Heating & Air      979-542-5328

Utility Information:

TXU Electric & Gas         800-242-9113

Sprint                           800-901-9675

Time Warner Cable        254-634-3145

City of Killeen                254-634-4050

City Water                    254-501-7800

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