Caulking is an important part of regular homeowner maintenance. It is your responsibility as the homeowner to re-caulk as needed to improve cosmetic appearance and reduce the risk of high repair costs. When exposed to temperature and moisture changes over time, all caulking will shrink and lose effectiveness as a moisture seal. It is very important to regularly inspect the caulking around your sink tops, tubs, showers, toilets, windows, doors, siding, and ceramic tiles at least every six months or more often as necessary.

If any caulking appears cracked, hardened, discolored or chipped, it should be replaced. First, remove the old caulking with an appropriate cutting or scraping tool, while being careful not to damage the surrounding surfaces. Ensure the area is completely dry and apply new caulk with a caulking gun. Caulking materials can be purchased at your local home improvement store.

Red Door Homes will do a one-time Drywall Repair in the first year. This repair does not include painting and addresses builder related issues only.

The interior of your walls consist of drywall installed over wood. Because of the nature of organic materials used in construction, some contraction and expansion will occur as temperature and humidity changes. All buildings also undergo normal settlement. Also, interior paint and drywall is subject to nicks, stains and wear marks from furniture, children, pets, etc.

To repair minor drywall cracks, chips, nail pops or voids in walls or ceilings, first clean off any loose edges and then use a putty knife to apply and spread spackling across the area. For nail pops, set the nail before covering with spackling. Allow the area to dry completely then sand the area with a fine grit paper or a sanding sponge in a light sanding motion to blend the repair in with the surroundings. Repeat as desired for best results. Drywall and paint tools and supplies are available at any home improvement store.

To address paint spots and finish drywall repair, use the paint touchup kit supplied with your new home for color matching wall and trim paint. Apply paint with a large or small roller to achieve the same paint texture.

Often, reduced HVAC system performance or increased energy costs can be attributed to dirty or clogged air filters, because your system needs a clean filter in order to operate efficiently. As part of regular homeowner maintenance, it is your responsibility as the homeowner to check and replace all air filters in your HVAC system every 30 days or as needed. Also, to improve system performance, all windows should have some type of covering to prevent heat loss and gain; no registers should be completely closed or blocked with furniture; the system should not be turned off for an extended period of time; and interior doors should be kept open as often as possible for air circulation.

To replace air filters, first locate all air returns in your home and flip the tabs or remove the thumb screws to open the covers. If the filter inside any return appears dirty, write down the size. Filters are widely available at local stores. After returning with a new filter, remove the old one and replace it according to any directions on the unit or in your owner's manual, then reattach the cover on the air return.