Purchasing an Augusta, Ga. new home is an investment. An additional responsibility of being a homeowner is making sure you take care of regular maintenance around your home. Neglecting those maintenance tasks could result in expensive, time-consuming repairs down the road. Here are seven areas to keep an eye on:

• Hot Water Heater: Extend the life of you hot water heater by draining it at least once a year. Doing this simple task lessens the sediment that can gather in the bottom of your tank.
• Deck: An annual inspection should be performed on your deck. Water dripping off of the roof can cause the wood of your deck to rot, and leaves can get wedged between the bottom of the patio door and the deck. Pay close attention to the ledger board where the deck attaches to the house, the joists and support posts and any other areas that are regularly exposed to water. Experts suggest using a deck cleaner to remove mold, mildew and debris, then rinsing off the cleaner with a garden hose.
• House Exterior: Once a year, take a stroll around your new Augusta home with a digital camera and look for signs of loose siding, peeling paint, loose soffits and fascia, masonry cracks and any other problems. Keep an eye out for places where mice or other wildlife could be burrowing under the siding or gnawing at the siding or foundation coating. Use binoculars to look for any missing or damaged shingles, as well as any mold or fungus growing on the shingles, which discolors them.
• Gutters: Keep your gutters free of leaves, twigs and other debris to ensure they drain properly. If they get clogged, the water can damage the paint on the soffits and fascia. Check the seams to make sure the caulking is still intact.
• Yard, Driveway and Patio: Walk around your home the next time there’s a driving rain storm and watch where the water goes. If you see any areas where the water pools near the driveway or patio, it could wash away the soil. If you don’t channel the water away, you could wind up with cracks in your driveway in as little as three to five years.
• Foundation: The soil underneath your home expands when it gets wet and it contracts as it dries out, putting pressure on the foundation or leaving voids in the ground into which the foundation can sink. Each year, inspect the foundation to make sure that rainwater is draining away from your house. The first warning signs of trouble to watch for inside are cracks in the walls, uneven floors and doors and windows that don’t work correctly.
• Cabinet Base Under the Sink: Kitchen and bathrooms sinks get a lot of use, so it’s important to check underneath them for leaks in order to prevent water damage. Even small leaks can cause big problems if they go undetected for too long. Usually a simple tightening of the connection can fix the problem.

At Keystone Homes, we pride ourselves on building top-quality homes for you and your family. For more information about our new homes in Augusta, visit our website.