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Keepmoat Homes Homeowner Manual

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  • Heating
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A handy homeowner manual for Keepmoat Homes customers.

35 WELCOME TO YOUR NEW

35 WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME keepmoat.com 36 OUTDOOR SPACES We not only take great care in building your home but also your home’s outside spaces. Driveways Although they are designed to be tough and hardwearing, you’ll need to take a little care of your drive when it’s new, especially if the weather is hot. It can take many months for the oil‐based bitumen in your drive to harden. Until then, try to avoid tight turning and heavy braking as this can damage the surface when it’s new. It’s worth remembering that skips, ladders, motorbike stands, and even heavy plant pots can sink into the tarmac. As a rule of thumb, after the first winter, the materials in your drive will have oxidised and stiffened ‐ although general care should be maintained. Garage (if applicable) Our garages are generally constructed using a single skin of brickwork, not the fully insulated cavity wall of your home. For this reason, garages can become damp, therefore you shouldn’t store anything that could be affected by damp in here. Garage doors are not sealed to be watertight, and depending on wind conditions, driving rain may penetrate. This is not a design fault and the walls will dry out. Brickwork and render Bricks are made from natural materials. Therefore, they can have a slight variation in their colour. Some bricks also contain salts, which especially in alternating wet and dry spells, can produce the white crystal deposits often seen with new homes. This is normal. You can remove these with a dry, stiff, non‐metallic brush when it’s dry if you wish, but they will eventually disappear on their own. Damp‐proof courses and airbricks These are vital parts of your home and play an important part in keeping it dry and well ventilated. To make sure they do what they are designed to, soil or garden material must not be placed against the exterior walls above the dampproof course. You’ll see your dampproof course usually two bricks up from the floor. Look out for signs of the black waterproof membrane. Also, airbricks provide clean air circulation and should never be covered. Gutters and rainwater pipes Don’t worry if you’re not a fan of ladders, your gutters won’t need much attention. Simply avoid leaning anything against them as it can cause damage. And if you have a tall tree nearby, they may need cleaning out now and again. Gutters are designed to expand and contract as they heat up and cool down. When they do this you may hear the odd click. This is perfectly normal. Drains No one likes a blocked drain. But with a few measures, they can be easily avoided. Please don’t flush down the toilet or put down the sink anything that could cause a blockage, for example, cooking oil and fat, nappies or baby wipes. We are not responsible for unblocking drains unless there has been a construction fault. Bins We do not provide your general waste, recycling or garden waste bins. These need to be ordered through your local council when you move in. Foot pathways and roads These are usually finished at the end of the development, so may not be finished when you move in. We do, however, sweep and wash these regularly throughout the build process. TIP: As with indoor shrinkage, outdoor shrinkage may also occur and is perfectly normal. However, if any cracks over 5mm wide appear, please contact your Customer Care team who will investigate. TIP: If any liquids, such as oil or petrol are spilt on the drive, you can soak it up with sand or even cat litter. Then simply clean with detergent and rinse thoroughly. If you’re checking your gutters, make sure your ladder is placed securely on level ground and, if possible, have an adult hold the base for you.