HOME CARE TIPS

Your new home should give you a sense of pride, satisfaction and achievement now and into the future. As with any large investment you will want to maintain its appearance and value.

ASTORIA HOMES also takes pride and satisfaction in your home. Here is some excellent information on routine maintenance for your home. If you have any questions, please call the Customer Care Department at 257-1188 (option 2) and we will be More than happy to help.

Thank you for your purchase from ASTORIA HOMES .
________________________________________________________________________

Prevention is the best approach. Although we've heard it many times, nothing could be More true than the old cliché, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Preventative maintenance is the best way to keep your house in great shape — it will increase efficiency and lower operating cost, as well as ensure many years of extended life. It also reduces the risk of unexpected repairs and improves the odds of selling your home at the best possible price when the time comes.
________________________________________________________________________

SPRING / SUMMER

—ATTIC (if accessible):
Look in your attic to ensure that roof vents are not obstructed.
Check for evidence of leakage, condensation or vermin activity.

—CEILING FANS:
Get your ceiling fans in shape for the cooling season! Moving air is important.

—GARBAGE DISPOSAL:
Garbage disposals clean themselves if used properly.
DO NOT put lye or other chemical drain pipe cleaners into the disposal.
Periodically, and always after disposing of fibrous food wastes, purge the drain line by filling the sink with 2 to 3 inches of cold water. Turn the disposal on and allow the water to run through with no wastes added.
Before leaving your home for several days, check to be sure all wastes have been flushed to avoid the creation of odors. If odors should occur, they can be removed by running orange or lemon peels or a handful of ice cubes through the disposal.

—GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER (GFCI):
Test all GFCI devices.

—HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning):
Arrange for routine service before the start of the cooling season.
Have an Air Conditioning Tech vacuum out the unit and lubricate the motor.
You should clean and/or replace the filter.

• A/C Lingo:
  § SEER — The Seasonal Energy-Efficiency Ratio rates how many BTU air-conditioning can remove for each watt of electricity consumed. The higher the SEER, the less you spend in operating cost.
  § Tonnage — An air-conditioning ton equals 12,000 BTU per hour. That means a 3-ton air-conditioner can remove about 36,000 BTU of heat per hour from your home.

—PLANTS:
Trim back tree branches and shrubs to ensure that they are not in contact with the house.

—PLUMBING:
Check at the base of all toilets for wax ring failure.
Ensure that bolts are tight.
REMEMBER…if in doubt, call a licensed plumber.

—SMOKE DETECTORS:
Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

—WATER HEATER:
Test and drain a gallon or two from your water heater.
Manufacturer remediation is usually on the side of the tank.
Inspect water nipples on the top of the water heater for any corrosion.

FALL / WINTER

—CEILING FANS:
If you have installed ceiling fans, set all fans to blow "up" for the heating season.

—EFFLORESCENCE:
A stiff broom should be used to remove efflorescence.
CAUTION: Hosing the efflorescence will cause it to intensify.

• Efflorescence is the white powdery material that may appear on the surface of concrete walk ways or block walls. This is more pronounced during the winter because the moisture does not evaporate like in summer months.

—EXTERIOR:
Inspect roof coverings and flashings and weatherproof as needed.
Look for missing or cracked roof tiles.
Caulk all exterior joints around windows and doors.
Properly sealing these joints will prevent a lot of potential heat loss and result in substantial savings.

—GUTTERS / DOWNSPOUTS:
Clean any gutters and downspouts.

—HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning):
Arrange for routine service before the start of the heating season.
You should clean and/or replace the filter.

—PLANTS:
Trim back tree branches and shrubs to ensure that they are not in contact with the house.

—PLUMBING:
Carefully inspect the condition of shower enclosures.
Repair or replace grout and caulking.

• HOW TO: This plumbing trick is an oldie but a goodie and works when you need to caulk around the top of the tub. Scrape out the old caulking and let it air out over night. Then fill the tub with water to weight it down. Create a guide by applying masking tape to both the wall and the tub leaving a 1/4 inch gap between the tape. Fill in the gap with silicone caulking. Let it dry over night, drain the tub, then remove the tape.

—SMOKE DETECTORS:
Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

—SPRINKLER SYSTEM:
Winterize your sprinkler and drip system.

• HOW TO: Your sprinkler and drip system is regulated by a PVB valve located on the exterior side of your garage. You will need to protect it from the winter elements by either wrapping the top or purchasing a foam rock at your local hardware store. This will protect the rubber gasket from freezing.

—THERMOSTAT:
Set the thermostat to the temperature you need as the final temperature.
Far too often, extreme settings will result in the temperature going close to the extreme and then opening windows and doors to get back to normal thereby wasting all the energy used to get the temperature there.
There are only 2 operational modes for a furnace — on at full capacitate or off. Maintaining or achieving a particular temperature is controlled by how long the furnace burns, not by trying to increase its speed.

—WATER HEATER:
Test and drain a gallon or two from your water heater.
Manufacturer remediation is usually on the side of the tank.
Inspect water nipples on the top of the water heater for any corrosion.

—WEATHER STRIPPING:
Check all weather stripping at exterior doors.
Every time a door is opened, heated air is exchanged with the outside. Poor or no weather stripping on any door will cost you money…even if the door is closed.

• HOW TO: Close the door and look for any visible light around the perimeter of the door for any natural sunlight. You may need to do this on a nice sunny day. If you can see any light, that is an indication that you may need to have the door adjusted or replace the weather stripping.
  Before applying the weather stripping, clean the surface of the doorstop and cut the stripping to length. There is a small slot to slide the stripping into for a tight fix. You may also need to purchase small door pads that have an adhesive backing that you can apply to the bottom corners of the door jamb.

________________________________________________________________________
Following these tips and suggestions will not eliminate normal repairs and upkeep, but they will keep your home comfortable and enjoyable. The key is to know your home and watch and listen for changes.