Home Maintenance & Warranty Guide

Care and Maintenance Tips

Follow the suggested care and maintenance tips below to help ensure that your warranty coverage is not compromised, and to prolong the life of many products and finishes in your home.

Countertops: Laminate

• Do not allow water to stand on joints; keep joints dry. Water or steam can cause them to swell.
• Never place heavy appliances like electric mixers and slow cookers on countertop joints.
• Never place pots or dishes from the oven or burner directly on laminate surfaces. This can cause them to crack or blister.
• Place protective pads under coffee pots, electric frying pans, slow cookers, etc. The steam from these appliances can damage the counter top.
• Keep the area around sinks dry. Although sinks are caulked prior to possession, water can still seep beneath the sink in to the particleboard of the countertop causing it to swell.

Countertops: Marble

• Only use cleaning solutions approved for marble surfaces. Abrasive or acidic cleaners, especially drain cleaners, can scratch, stain and dull the surface.
• The manufacturer recommends periodically cleaning with Gel-Gloss, a wax made specifically for cultured marble stone to help protect the finish.
• Clean up spills immediately. Leaving acidic substances like wine, toiletry products and cleaning solutions on marble surfaces can cause it to scratch, stain or dull.
• Always use trivets or hot pads to prevent scratches or scorching.
• Minor surface scratches can be buffed out with polishing compound.

Countertops: Quartz and Granite

• Do not let liquid sit on the countertop for an extended period as it can cause staining. Wipe away spills as soon as possible and clean with mild soap and water.
• Never use chemicals or cleaners not approved for use on stone surfaces.
• Use hot pads and cutting boards to avoid scratches, chips and abrasions to the countertop.
• Your granite countertop may need to be re-sealed if standing water darkens the countertop, or if water no longer beads on the surface. Quartz countertops do not require re-sealing.

Flooring: Carpet

• Frequently vacuum high traffic areas. This will help to prevent carpet wear.
• The weight of furniture on any carpet will crush the pile. Vacuum against the lay of the tufts to restore the pile, or hold a steam iron several inches above the carpet and steam the dented area lightly; brush tufts upwards.
• We recommend that you have your carpet professionally cleaned from time to time to remove the embedded dirt that causes dullness and premature wear.
  

Flooring: Laminate, Hardwood and Vinyl Plank

• Maintain a relative humidity of about 30% - 45% to help prevent expansion and contraction of vinyl plank, laminate or hardwood floors, which can cause buckling, peeling, cracking or unattractive gaps between the planks.
• Laminate and hard wood floors will absorb liquids quickly causing the boards to swell. Do not wet mop laminate or hardwood floors, and wipe up spills immediately to avoid damage.
• Although vinyl plank flooring is waterproof, standing water will still make its way through the joints and cause damage to the sub flooring, so clean up spills immediately.
• Do not use abrasive cleaners like ammonia or chlorine bleach.
• Frequently sweep or vacuum. This will help to protect flooring from damaging dirt and gravel.
• Apply felt protectors to the bottoms of furniture to minimize the risk of scratching flooring. Do not move or drag large items like furniture or appliances across flooring without placing protection such as a blanket, or mat, beneath it.
• Do not use rubber back floor mats on vinyl floors; this may cause yellow patches.

HVAC and Exhaust Vents

• Register your furnace and air conditioner (if applicable) with the manufacturer to take advantage of their extended warranty. Please refer to the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning section of this manual for more information on registering these products.
• Turn the dehumidistat to 0%, or off, in the warm, humid summer months. Set it back between 30% - 45% in the winter when the furnace is operating.
• Check HRV filters 4 times a year and clean as needed. Clean the HRV core annually. Please refer to the HRV System section of this manual for more information on HRV care and maintenance.
• Replace furnace filters once a month for the first 3 months, and approximately every 3rd month thereafter, depending on your home’s environment.
• The furnace ducts were cleaned prior to your possession, but they will continue to collect and trap dirt and debris so be sure to have your ducts professionally cleaned as needed.
• Keep exhaust and intake vents clean and free of snow and ice.
• Clean the dryer vent at the outside exhaust. Lint and debris will build up at the vent and can cause the dryer to malfunction.
• Have your air conditioner cleaned every year to avoid potential damage caused by the build-up of dirt and debris.

Other Areas

• Register your hot water tank with the manufacturer to take advantage of their extended warranty. Please refer to the Plumbing section of this manual for more information on product registration.
• If frost melt down occurs on the basement walls, you can remove the poly sheeting and insulation from the foundation walls until they are dry. Running a dehumidifier will expedite the drying process. This is a part of regular homeowner maintenance.
• Installing an automatic garage door opener could void warranty on the overhead door. To reduce the risk of voiding the warranty we recommend using the original, or another authorized installer. Contact Broadview Warranty to find the original installer.
• If you are leaving your home unattended during winter, turn off the water and do not set the temperature below 10 degrees Celsius.
• Never wash new paint within the first 6 months.