So, you’ve purchased a newly constructed home. Congrats! 

It’s super shiny, bright—and even smells like a new home (although apparently, not everyone likes the new home fragrance). Mission accomplished, right? Now, you can sit back, relax and enjoy without worry. Or can you?

Not exactly. 

While new construction often comes in a mostly worry-free package (at least in the beginning), that doesn’t mean you can completely mail it in when it comes to routine maintenance. For those of you who wish to stay on top of the “to-do list” and take care of your investment, I recently ran across this handy dandy article appropriately titled, “10 Ways to Maintain Your New Home.” The National Association of Home Builders published the piece, which covers everything from furnace filters to noisy water pipes. It may not be exhaustive, but it will hopefully help you move forward in your efforts and spawn additional ideas.

Just remember: Staying on top of your maintenance responsibilities can help you avoid costly expenses later on.

Questions or comments about new home maintenance or home inspections in general? Do you have anything you’d like to add to the list cited above? Go “All” in and tweet us (@AIHomeInspect).