Page 76 - KHovanian Homes - Pathway to Homeownership

Section 9 | Home Care & Maintenance together. Caulk has been used to seal and insulate the area from the weather. In some cases, the caulk has been painted to give your home a neater appearance. We cannot mention this enough - during your home’s lifetime caulk will separate as a result of your home continually adjusting to its environment. This is a normal homeowner maintenance item and can be easily taken care of using a caulk gun and the proper caulk. If you do not maintain caulk you will have water intrusion problems. Maintenance Guidelines • Make sure that you buy the best type of caulk for your particular job. We recommend that you ask the hardware store in your area for suggestions on which type of caulk to use. • Inspect all exterior caulking around the home once a year and re-caulk as necessary. For caulked areas that need to be repainted do so shortly after completing the repairs. CONCRETE - FOUNDATION Concrete is porous, rigid material that will expand, contract, and crack as the result of temperature changes, shrinkage, stress, and soil conditions. Hairline cracks on foundation walls are usually cosmetic, as opposed to structural. Foundation cracks are common and are caused by shrinkage or stress. Shrinking results from the normal curing process of concrete that varies with the time of year and the moisture conditions that exist when the concrete is poured. Stress is caused by soil placed up against the wall, plus the full weight of the home that rests upon the walls. The weight from these forces can create a variety of stresses, which, in combination with seasonal temperature variations, can cause concrete foundations to expand and contract Maintenance Guidelines • Drainage: Proper water drainage around a basement foundation will keep the basement dry, and eliminate unnecessary stress on the foundation wall. Although we do not anticipate problems, as a precautionary measure, we have installed an exterior drain system around your home. This system is designed to allow ground water to flow first into the perforated drain below your foundation wall and slab and/or structural floor and then into a sump pit in your basement. It is advisable that you periodically check the pit for water build up, especially during wet weather (this includes large amounts of snow melt). It is not unusual for small amounts of water to accumulate in the pit. Should standing water above the drain pipe inlet opening occur, it is imperative that the water be removed by means of pumping or bailing so that the water is reduced to a normal level. If your sump pump has not turned on, check to see if it is plugged into the electrical outlet or check the breaker at the panel box. • Sump pumps are used to drain water away from the foundation. Check periodically to insure that all drains are clear of debris, that pumps are operating, window wells are clean, and that the soil around the foundation properly slopes away from the home. • Efflorescence: A white, powdery substance that may appear on foundation walls is called efflorescence. It is composed of water-soluble salts, originally present in masonry materials that are brought to, and deposited, on the surface when water evaporates. White efflorescence is common and not cause for concern. It can be removed with a stiff scrub brush and water. CONCRETE - JOINTS/CRACKS Due to its rigid nature, concrete materials will crack. We try to control this by installing expansion joints and scoring certain areas of the surface where cracking is likely to occur. However, even with this procedure, we cannot control all concrete cracks. Rarely, if ever, are cracks in concrete of sufficient importance to shorten the life of the concrete or weaken the structure. If your concrete flatwork cracks, we recommend that you seal the crack with a good concrete caulk. You can purchase concrete caulk at your local hardware store. 58 | Edition July 2019