The following information is intended as a general guide to responsible home maintenance:

Exterior
Concrete:
Your concrete driveway and garage floor have been coated with a high quality cure and sealer by FQH. However, your concrete is still green and in need of special protection for the first year. Be sure to give your exterior concrete a fresh coat of sealer before your first winter in your new home.

Park only in your garage the first winter in your new home. Salt dripping off of your car is especially damaging to the finish of your freshly poured driveway.

Never use a salt de-icer on any exterior concrete. This will do great damage to its surface. Only use de-icers specifically made to be safe on concrete.

Siding:
Vinyl siding should be completely maintenance free for the life of your home. It can be cleaned as needed with soapy water or with specially made vinyl cleanser.  Slight fading of your siding's color over time is normal and should not be considered a defect.

If you have hard water and get your siding rusty while watering your lawn, wash your siding with a mild solution of iron remover used in water softeners. Be careful not to get any on your lawn, as it will kill your grass.

Cedar siding will need re-stained every four to seven years. Be sure to use a wood stain especially designed for exterior wood.

Hardiplank (imitation cedar) should never need re-finished. If you wish to change its color, you can paint it with ordinary wood paint. Of course, after that it will need regular maintenance.

Roof:
Check your roof at least once a year for any weather related damages. Look for loose or missing shingle tabs, damaged or missing flashing, or any signs of leakage. Your roof is warranted labor and materials for the first four years. After that, the materials only are warranted on a prorated basis.

Clean out your gutters twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Debris built up in your gutters or downspouts can cause water to back up under your shingles and create a leak.

If you have a wood burning fireplace, have the creosote build up cleaned out of your chimney once a year. Creosote build up is a leading cause of chimney fires.

Interior
Furnace system:
Change your furnace filter every six months the first year in your new home. After that, change it about once every year. If you have an electronic thermostat, it will tell you when your filter needs changed.

Have your furnace cleaned at least every other spring by a professional contractor.

Water Softener:
Use only the recommended softener salt in your water softener.

Do not allow your softener to run out of salt as this will damage it.

Washer and Dryer:
Be sure that your washer and dryer are well balanced. If they vibrate and "walk," they are likely to wear out and need service work more quickly.

Clean the lint periodically from your dryer's filter.

Clean the lint at out of your dryer vent at least once a year. Be sure not to kink this hose, as this will impede the efficiency of your dryer.

Windows:
Clean windows as desired with a glass cleaner. Be sure to use a soft cloth so as not to scratch your windows. Do not attempt to use a scraper on your windows.

Do not use glass cleaner on your glass block window. This will haze your glass block and void its warranty. Use only mild dish detergent.

Slight condensation on your windows during the winter is normal, especially during the first year, and should not be considered a defect. Keep blinds or curtains open, and crack your windows slightly to alleviate this.

Flooring:
Your new vinyl floors are designed to be durable and tear resistant. However, you should use caution when moving heavy objects across your vinyl floor. Use rollers or carts. Do not walk on your vinyl floor with metal spiked shoes.

Your carpet is designed to be stain resistant. Most spills are easily cleaned using common carpet cleaner. However, after steam cleaning, your carpet may need to have its stain resistance re-applied. Talk to your steam cleaner about this procedure.

With basic and easy maintenance, your new First Quality Home should provide you with many years of worry free living.