Introduction

 

HOMES ARE BETTER THAN EVER

 

New Homes represent large investments – the largest investment many people ever make. As all investments require safekeeping and protection, this Maintenance Guide was developed by The Alberta New Home Warranty Program to help you protect your new home and guide you in its maintenance.

 

Maintenance is the other side of ownership. In those terms a home is really no different than a vehicle, which on occasion, requires your attention to keep it in good working order. Just like vehicle maintenance, homeowners have the option to do some maintenance themselves and hire professionals for more involved work.

 

Homes have always reflected the technology of the day. Manufacturers and builders are constantly striving for product improvements. The tried and true materials and systems often change slowly, but there are always custom materials and systems coming on the market. These require a different maintenance regime than a generation earlier. When new products do prove to be more robust we tend to take them for granted, but they too may require maintenance.

 

Common advice says to take care of minor maintenance problems as they arise, but it is also a good idea to exercise preventative maintenance. There are many small things that a homeowner can do that will prevent something small from becoming an expensive repair. In the appendix we suggest a number of maintenance issues that you should consider in each month of the year – whether or not they are an immediate problem.

 

Product warranties often stipulate that maintenance is required to protect the warranty. Products should be used for the role that was intended and serviced accordingly.

 

The New Home Warranty is discussed in the Limited Warranty Certificate provided to you with your new home documents. If you have any questions that your builder cannot fully address, the offices of The Alberta New Home Warranty Program would welcome your inquiry.

 

Throughout this Maintenance Guide we use the term ‘home’. While single family homes may immediately come to mind, we intend ‘home’ to also mean multiplexes, townhouses and units in multi family buildings.

 

It is in the homeowners’ best interest to have a basic understanding of how their home works.