- Run exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms
- Check under sinks and around fixtures for leaks
- Wipe up condensation on windows and sills
- Look behind the fridge and at AC condensation pans
- Replace smoke detector batteries when they chirp
Homeowner resources
Now it's
your house.
A new home spends its first year drying out and settling in. Some of what happens is ours to fix and some of it is just a house being a house. Here's how to tell the difference, and what to do about either one.
Year one
Things that will
happen, and shouldn't
worry you.
Lumber shrinks as it dries. Concrete cures for months. A house built in winter behaves differently by August. None of the following means something went wrong.
Nail pops and hairline cracks
Small drywall cracks and nail pops come from framing drying and moving. Cracks wider than an eighth of an inch are covered and we'll repair them once, after the movement has mostly finished.
Creaks, squeaks and floor noise
Framing members and fasteners expand and contract. Wood floors do the same and get louder in dry months. It's the house adjusting, not failing.
Gaps at trim and caulk lines
Caulk shrinks and cracks with weather and normal wear — it's a maintenance item, not a defect. Trim separation past a quarter inch is a different story, and that one's ours.
Doors that stick seasonally
Doors bind in wet months and free up in dry ones. Hinge and hardware adjustments are ordinary upkeep. Warping past a quarter inch across thirty-two inches isn't.
Color and grain variation
Wood, stone, granite and concrete vary by nature, and a repaired or replaced piece rarely matches exactly. Paint fades and flashes differently in different light.
Soil settling around the house
Backfill and utility trenches settle in the first year. We fill settled areas once when it exceeds six inches. Mulch and planter beds settling is just gravity.
Not sure which side something falls on? Send it anyway. Sorting that out is our job, not yours.
Keeping it
Four seasons,
one short list.
Most warranty problems we see started as a maintenance item somebody didn't get to. None of this takes long, and the document you signed asks for it.
- Test irrigation before the dry months
- Check deck boards, railings and posts
- Inspect exterior caulk and re-caulk where it's split
- Clear debris from drains and downspouts
- Walk the grading — water should run away from the house
- Clean gutters before the rain sets in
- Clear window vents and weep holes
- Have the chimney and fireplace cleaned
- Check roof vents and flashing from the ground
- Protect exposed pipes before the first freeze
- Seal grout, tile, stone and granite surfaces
- Clean and reseal masonry and exposed concrete
- Clean or replace sink aerators and water filters
- Flush the water heater per the manufacturer
- Touch up interior paint where it's worn
The one that matters most
No house can be built to exclude mold spores. They need moisture to become a problem, and given the right conditions they can develop in 24 to 48 hours. Ventilation is the lever you hold.
Vent dryers outdoors. Run the fans. Dry wet surfaces the same day. Replace anything that can't be dried through, like soaked drywall or insulation. Claims involving mold, fungi or bacteria are excluded from the warranty — which is exactly why this paragraph is here and not in a footnote.
Who to call
Three numbers,
three situations.
Call us
The house itself
Anything built into the home — framing, drywall, roofing, siding, concrete, cabinets, trim, tile, the plumbing and electrical we installed. If it was part of the house at closing, start with us.
Send a Warranty Request →Call the manufacturer
Appliances & equipment
Stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, disposal, washer and dryer, water heater, furnace and AC equipment, garage doors, fireplace units. These carry manufacturer warranties that we assign to you at closing.
Keep the paperwork from your closing packet — that's where the model numbers and registration details live.
Call 911 or your utility
Emergencies
Fire, a gas smell, or an immediate electrical hazard is not a warranty claim. Call 911 or your utility's emergency line first. For active water, shut off the main, then reach us.
After-hours contact
TK — pending
Your documents
Everything in
one place.
Warranty
One-Year Limited Warranty
Read and download →Maintenance
Home Maintenance Manual
Request a copy →Claims
Submit a Warranty Request
Email us →This page is general guidance for TwinLine homeowners and is not the warranty, a contract, or legal advice. Maintenance recommendations are typical and are not a substitute for the instructions in your home maintenance manual or in any manufacturer's documentation. Coverage, standards, limitations, exclusions and claim procedures are governed solely by the executed One-Year Limited Warranty Addendum and the Purchase and Sale Agreement for your home. Where this page and those documents differ, the documents govern. Full disclaimer