Page 58 - KHovanian Homes - Pathway to Homeownership

Section 9 | Home Care & Maintenance may notice slight dampness during certain times of the year; this is normal. There should be no standing water in your crawl space. Proper ventilation in crawl space areas prevents high humidity levels, condensation, and resulting mildew. Fans may be used to help vent the crawl space. Do not enclose crawl space areas that open to an existing basement unless you provide exterior venting. Make sure the vents to this area are open in the summer to reduce soil smells in your home. In the winter, you will want to close these vents to reduce the chance of wintertime temperatures freezing plumbing pipes that may pass through this area. After the threat of frost or freezing temperatures passes, crawl space vents should be reopened to allow ventilation. Plastic (visqueen) is used as a vapor barrier to keep the floor joists from soaking up moisture from damp soils. Make sure that when repainting your home your vents are not painted shut or open. DOORS - INTERIOR Your K. Hovnanian® Homes home can come with a variety of doors, possibly including interior passage doors, French doors, louver doors, bi-fold doors, sliding glass doors, exterior doors, and garage doors. During the changing seasons you will notice that your interior doors may swell, causing them to stick or bind. This is a normal occurrence and may correct itself when the weather changes. When a door sticks because of swelling during damp weather, do not plane the door because when the dry weather returns, the door will shrink back to normal. Some twisting and warping of doors can be expected as moisture enters and leaves the wood. If your doors are painted and you need to touch them up make sure that you use the right paint for the job. Generally, use the same paint used on your baseboards and trim. This information is listed on your interior/exterior color selections and/or design center addendum’s. You will find a small can of touch-up paint in your paint kit. Maintenance Guidelines • Ifyourdoorsrepeatedlystick,trycandlewaxorsoap. Then, tighten the hinge screws with a screwdriver. • In time, you may notice that your door hinges squeak a bit. This is normal. A drop of oil on hinges makes doors swing quietly and easily. Graphite, which can be purchased at your local hardware store, is also an excellent lubricant for door latches and keyholes. It will prevent undue wear and sticking, and keep doors working normally. Because graphite can stain carpet and other flooring materials, make sure to put plastic or paper down when applying it to door hardware. • If a door will not latch properly you may need to adjust the strike plate up or down on the door jamb. • Repeatedly slamming doors can damage both the door and the door frame. Teach children not to hang on doorknobs and swing the door. This can loosen the door hardware and cause the door to sag. • Interior doors are hollow core and are not designed to support attachments and hanging accessories Hanging heavy items on door knobs or at the top of a door can damage hardware and hinges. • Bi-Fold Doors: Keep the door tracks free of paint and dirt, and apply a small amount of wax or silicone spray to the guide edges of the tracks. Also, bi-fold doors can be adjusted at their base with a wrench. • SlidingGlassDoors:Cleanglasswithasprayglass cleanser and wipe frames with sudsy water and a soft cloth. Periodically clean the bottom of the door track, and check to ensure that drain holes are clear of obstructions. To keep the doors moving freely, apply a silicone spray to the tracks. Keep sprinklers away from sliding glass doors when watering the lawn. Be aware that heavy condensation on glass doors during the winter heating season, if not wiped away, can freeze up the door so it cannot be opened. DRYWALL Drywall is screwed or nailed to the studs to create both ceiling and wall surfaces. The seams where sheets of drywall come together are taped, spackled with a joint compound, allowed to dry, and then sanded and textured to prepare for painting. The lumber used to construct your home is a natural material. As mentioned earlier, although it is mostly dry, the lumber will dry out 40 | Edition July 2019