You made it! After the grueling, albeit rewarding, process of building a brand new custom home, you can now proudly call yourself a homeowner!
But you need to know that this doesn’t end here. You need to prioritize its maintenance even after your custom home is built.
A luxury custom home will not last long if you do not show it the love it deserves (just like most other things in life.) So you have to make sure that you maintain it, and not just to increase its lifespan, but to ensure that the house will not need too many repairs and its resale value is preserved.
It may seem overwhelming not to know where to start from and what to do to keep your custom home in good shape, but here is a foolproof checklist to help you get started.
Monthly
Of course, you should regularly clean up both the exterior and interior of your home. There are, however, some particular maintenance tasks that need to be dealt with every month:
In-depth Sink Disposal Cleaning
There is a lot one can do to make sure their sink disposal works smoothly for a long time. One of the easiest ways is to put ice cubes made of vinegar or lemon slices in the sink disposal every month. This will ensure that it is thoroughly cleaned and will help maintain its function.
Range Hood Filter Cleaning
Something most people overlook in their custom home maintenance duties is to clean out their range hood filters! You can either soak them in warm water and a powerful degreaser or follow the manufacturer’s guide to clean them. Either way, increase their look and lifespan by ensuring to clean them monthly!
Make Sure Your Garage Door Is Working Fine
For safety and maintenance reasons both, it is crucial to test the sensors of your garage door. The easiest way to do that is through the ‘force test.’ All you have to do is hold the bottom of the garage door as it is closing. By doing so, you will be able to check if the door stops and reverses quickly. If it does not, then you should lower the force setting.
Test Your Outlets
GFCI outlets are mandated to be tested monthly to ensure that they are in good condition. It would be best to buy a GCFI circuit tester to try them, which you can find at any large home or local hardware stores. Then, plug the tester in the outlet and press ‘Test.’
Weekly Pool Maintenance
You should make sure your pool is clean and functioning by maintaining it weekly. You can either do it yourself or get the help of a professional. But you need to know that it is super important as a pool can incur considerable expenses, and you would not want your money to be flushed down the drain.
Quarterly
Some maintenance tasks do not need to be done monthly but should still be done every quarter. These tasks include:
- Checking the rarely used bathrooms and making sure that the water is flowing as it should. You can do this by running raps and flushing toilets
- Pest control should be contacted quarterly for maintenance
- Replacing HVAC filters every quarter is vital to its smooth performance
- Making sure to clean debris and leaves that may be on or in your HVAC condenser to limit any future problems
- Ensuring that your carbon monoxide/smoke detectors are working by testing them out
Biannually
Half a year has gone by! The six-month mark begets some simple maintenance tasks that are still just as important as the big ones. Some of the items on the six-month maintenance checklist are:
- Have an HVAC specialist check out your system to make sure everything is in order
- Deep cleaning every six months is a vital maintenance task, so either take out some designated cleaning time or hire a professional cleaning team to help you out!
- Clean out your sink traps to make sure all the buildup and obstructions are taken out
- Make sure your clothes dryer’s exhaust duct is also cleaned out
- To keep your refrigerator running longer and efficiently, you should vacuum up the coils
Annually
Different aspects of your custom home will need to be maintained during different seasons. However, there are some items on the list that you will have to inspect yearly:
- Irrigation
- Roofing
- Gutters
- Exteriors (windows, sliding, weather stripping foundation, etc.)
- Exterior draining
- Mortar/Grout
- Landscaping
- Plumbing
- Front Doors
- Screens
- HVAC
- Chimney
- Attic
- Gate/Door Hinges
On A Long-Term Basis
Some big tasks do not need to be done annually or even after two years. These tasks, however, are crucial in the preservation of your home’s health and to its performance:
3 Year Maintenance Checklist
Repainting all exterior trim such as door casings, siding, soffit, and window casings.
5 Year Maintenance Checklist
Stone elements in and around the house should be meticulously inspected for cracks in caulk or mortar. If the cracks are large, they should be sealed to prevent long-term water damage and penetration.
10 Year Maintenance Checklist
Checking and replacing water heaters for storage tanks and HVAC air handler overflow pans.
In Conclusion
A custom home is even more special because you spend your hard-earned money creating a perfect home for yourself. You should protect that investment and make sure your home feels and looks brand new even decades later.
A home is not a one-time investment but rather a lifetime one. The minor maintenance costs you have to look out for are nothing compared to the millions you might have to invest into huge and troubling issues that might arise due to improper maintenance. Think wisely and properly maintain your beautiful custom home according to the guidelines above!
