Homeowner Maintenance Tips

We hope that you enjoy your new home. By maintaining it properly, you will enjoy it more and contribute to the total quality and beauty of your neighborhood.

On the following pages, you will find some Homeowner Maintenance Tips that should help you maintain your new home.

Air Conditioning

Air conditioning can add much to the comfort of your home but if used improperly, can result in wasted energy and improper cooling. To help you maximize your air conditioning system, we offer the following suggestions:

• Your air conditioner is a closed system, which means that the interior air is continually recycled and cooled until the desired air temperature is reached. You need to help your air conditioning system by closing your drapes to keep direct sun light out and keep doors and windows shut.
• If you come home at 5:30 p.m. on a day when the temperature has reached 90 degrees, and set your thermostat to 75 degrees, the air conditioning unit will begin cooling, but will take a long time to reach the desired temperature. At 5:30 p.m., the air conditioning unit will start cooling the air, but the walls, carpet and furniture release heat and nullify this cooling. It may be hours before the air conditioning unit has cooled the walls, carpet and furniture.
• If no one is home during the day, you should set the air conditioner to a moderate temperature before leaving, allowing the unit to maintain the cooler temperature through the day. Then lower the setting slightly further when you arrive home. Setting the thermostat at 60 degrees will NOT cool the home any faster and can result in the unit “freezing up” and not performing at all, which can damage the unit.
• Be sure to adjust the cooling vents to maximize airflow to occupied parts of the home.

If your air conditioner does not operate properly even after you have followed the above guidelines and the manufacturer’s warranty booklet, call the subcontractor listed on the Warranty Service page. Remember, you will be responsible for paying the service call unless the problem is warranted.