First-Year Home Maintenance

Let's start with the outside of your new home

Exterior: Every few months, walk around the perimeter of your house to make sure everything is functioning properly and that the elements haven’t caused any damage or problems such as soil erosion after a heavy rain event, says Camille Jenkins, Vice President of National Customer Relations for Meritage Homes. 

Gutters: Many gutters have guards to keep out debris such as leaves and twigs. But sometimes, things may still fall through. Make sure to clear your gutters of any debris—especially during the fall and winter.  In cold climates, inspect your gutters after snow or heavy rain to ensure they are clear of debris and that rainwater flows freely. Water that overflows from the gutters can fall along the foundation of the building, which can soften the soil under and around it and lead to serious issues. 

Sprinkler system: When it comes to sprinklers, there are a few things to keep an eye on. For instance, check that they’re not spraying onto your house or a gate when turned on. This can cause water damage over time. And, when it gets cold, check to see if the irrigation line or any sprinkler heads have cracked from the weather. In cold weather states, you need to drain the system, just like your garden hose, to ensure it does not crack. “If it does, it could cause quite the water bill from leaks,” says Jenkins.

Hose faucet: Turn the faucets, also known as bibs or spigots, on and off to make sure they’re not leaking. If you live in a cold weather state, disconnect, drain, and put away your garden hose before temperatures start to drop. Also, before the winter season, turn off the bib’s indoor valve. Turn the handles to open the hose bibs and let the water in the pipes drain so no water freezes inside them. It’s best to keep the outdoor faucets in the “on” position during winter so that if the inside valve leaks, the water won’t freeze in the spigot.

This list covers general recommendations for your first-year home maintenance schedule. Homeowners should also check their homeowner manuals as well as their apliance manuals for manufacturer recommended maintenance for each appliance. A regular schedule of preventative home maintenance can help avoid bigger problems in the future. With a home-care routine, you'll keep your house feeling and looking new for as long as possible.

¹Reference is solely to loan payment, and does not include impounds for taxes, insurance, and other payments that may vary and may be payable with the loan payment pursuant to the terms and conditions of your loan.

²https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/08/gaps-in-wealth-americans-by-household-type.html

³This calculator is provided solely for general information purposes. Although this calculator may be a useful tool in evaluating certain financial information and assumptions provided by the user, it is not intended in any way as financial, securities, insurance, tax, or legal advice or services. Further, this calculator may not include all financial information relevant to any particular user, and there often are other important considerations to any home buying decision that are difficult to quantify in financial terms. Accordingly, this calculator is provided on an "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF SUITABILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. Meritage Homes does not assume any duty by making this calculator available, all of which duties are expressly disclaimed, and Meritage Homes shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions in this calculator or the consequences of any decisions or actions taken in reliance upon this calculator.