5 Things To Do Before Moving Into A New Construction Home
Buying a new home is exciting. It’s like when you get a new car except with this car you get to live in it (in a good not sad way) and you get to show it off to your friends. I have personally been providing floor cleaning and polishing services to homes since 2003 (16 years and counting) and here are the not so Glamorous things to do before moving into your new home.
5 Things To Do Before Moving Into A New Construction Home
Grout Sealing Is A Must
A majority of builders do not include sealing your freshly installed Grout. This is for a variety of reasons that boil down to not wanting to be responsible or have any warranty calls regarding spills and stains. For the builder it makes total sense, for you the New Construction Home Owner it totally stinks.
It’s always best to Seal the Grout prior to moving in because its easier for the technicians to get to every inch. It also means you shouldn’t need to have a Professional Tile and Grout Cleaning prior to the sealing.
As far as the grade of Sealer is concerned I recommend using a Solvent Based Impregnating Grout Sealer for the Floors, Showers, Back splash, and basically any conceivable place there is Grout in the Home. I personally prefer this grade of sealer but it is for professional use only. I have seen many a DIY nightmare trying to Seal the Grout with the wrong Solvent Sealer. Using a water based grout sealer is an option as well. A water based grout sealer is great for Floor Grout but doesn’t provide the same coverage level in a shower that a Solvent will. I find cleaning and re-application with a water based grout sealant in the showers to be much more frequent than with a Solvent based sealer.
The Builder Usually Doesn’t Seal Your Granite or Marble Countertops… So You Should
Its a dirty secret that the builder avoids talking about or offering sealing of your Granite or Marble Countertops. Marble Counterops are especially susceptible to staining and etching, so providing a very thorough application of Impregnating Sealer is extremely important. I have seen many a Marble Counter that’s brand new and covered in etch marks. Bottomline is protect your investment by Sealing so that you don’t have to Polish to Restore.
Apply Carpet Stain Protector
Newly installed carpet has a form of Carpet Protection already in place fresh from the factory. The problem is that it’s not a very good one and it doesn’t protect from dyes. Having a carpet protector applied that contains acid dye blockers will help keep your carpet from getting permanent red stains.
It’s also important to apply Carpet Stain Protector because it will help fight against permanent traffic lane damage. Traffic lane damage is caused by inconsistent vacuuming and irregular cleanings. When your carpet is it’s newest is the time to take advantage and protect and consistently have it cleaned and re-protected after each cleaning.
Install A Water Softener
I highly recommend having a water softener installed in your new home prior to moving in. The reason why is because it will help keep your shower tile and grout, bathroom floors, and your shower glass from developing hard water stains. If you can’t afford a water softener right away, I recommend cleaning your shower once a week. If you keep up with consistently cleaning your shower tile and grout and shower glass, you will be amazed with how long it will look like new.
Start A Regular Maintenance Schedule
When you keep something clean from the beginning it keeps you from needing restoration services in the future. I recommend vacuuming the carpet at least 1 time per week, using a daily shower cleaner (method makes an awesome one) and deep cleaning once a week, utilizing a steam mop for the floors or a flat head mop with Zep Neutral Floor Cleaner weekly, wiping your granite or marble countertops down weekly with Crystal Clean by Stonepro, and of course steam cleaning the carpets at least 2 times per year.
Some of this maintenance schedule can be increased due to pets or kids, but the rule of thumb is to clean at a minimum of once per week. Consistent maintenance will keep your home looking as beautiful as it did the first day you moved in.
At UpFront Home Services we offer Grout Sealing, Granite Countertop Sealing, Marble Countertop Sealing, Carpet Stain Protector Application, Tile and Grout Cleaning, Carpet Cleaning, and so much more throughout the Entire Katy and Houston Area.
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