Air Conditioning

Air conditioning can greatly enhance the comfort of your home, but if it is used improperly or inefficiently, wasted energy and frustration will result. These hints and suggestions are provided to help you maximize your air conditioning system.

Your air conditioning system is a whole-house system. The air conditioner unit is the mechanism that produces cooler air. The air conditioning system involves everything inside your home including, for example, drapes, blinds and windows.

Your home air conditioning is a closed system, which means that the interior air is continually recycled and cooled until the desired temperature is reached. Warm outside air disrupts the system and makes cooling impossible. Therefore, you should keep all windows closed. The heat from the sun shining through widows with open drapes is intense enough to overcome the cooling effect of the air conditioning unit. For best results, close the drapes on these windows.

Time is very important in your expectations of an air conditioning system. Unlike a light bulb, which reacts instantly when you turn on a switch, the air conditioning unit only begins a process when you set the thermostat.

For example, if you come home at 6:00 p.m. when the temperature has reached 90 degrees F and set your thermostat to 75 degrees F, the air conditioning unit will begin cooling, but will take much longer to reach the desired temperature. During the day, the sun has been heating not only the air in the house, but the walls, carpet and the furniture. At 6:00 p.m. the air conditioning unit starts cooling the air, but the walls, carpet and furniture release heat and nullify this cooling. By the time the air conditioning unit has cooled the walls, carpet and furniture, you may well have lost patience.

If evening cooling is your primary goal, set the thermostat at a moderate temperature in the morning while the house is cooler, allowing the system to maintain the cooler temperature. The temperature setting may then be lowered slightly when you arrive home, with better results. Once the system is operating, setting the thermostat at 60 degrees F will not cool the home any faster and can result in the unit freezing up and not performing at all. Extended use under these conditions can damage the unit.

Adjust Vents
Maximize air flow to occupied parts of your home by adjusting the vents. Likewise, when the seasons change, re-adjust them for comfortable heating.

Compressor Level
Maintain the air conditioning compressor in a level position to prevent inefficient operation and damage to the equipment. See also Grading and Drainage.

Humidifier
If a humidifier is installed on the furnace system, turn it off when you use the air conditioning; otherwise, the additional moisture can cause a freeze-up of the cooling system.

Manufacturer’s Instructions
Since the air conditioning system is combined with the heating system, follow the maintenance instructions for your furnace. The manufacturer’s manual specifies maintenance for the condenser. Review and follow these points carefully.

Temperature Variations
Temperatures may vary from room to room by several degrees F. This is due to such variables as floor plan, orientation of the home on the lot, type and use of window coverings, and traffic through the home.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
The air conditioning system should maintain a temperature of 78 degrees F if measured in the center of each room at a height of five feet above the floor. Lower temperature settings are often possible, but neither the manufacturer nor J&J & Sons Construction guarantee this.

Compressor
The air conditioning compressor must be in a level position to operate correctly. If it settles during the warranty period, J&J & Sons Construction will correct this.

Coolant
The outside temperature must be 70 degrees F or higher for the contractor to add coolant to the system. If your home was completed during the winter months, this charging of the cooling system is unlikely to be complete and will need to be performed in the spring. Although we check and document this at orientation, your call to remind us is welcome in the spring.

Non-emergency
Lack of air conditioning service is not an emergency. Heating and air conditioning contractors in our region respond to air conditioning service requests in the order received.

Alarm System

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
If your selections included pre-wired for an alarm system, you will arrange for the final connection after you move-in. The alarm company will demonstrate the system and instruct you in its use. We recommend that you test the system each month. For monitoring information call Signature Alert at 801-743-0101.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
J&J & Sons Construction will correct wiring that does not perform as intended for the alarm system.

Appliances

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
Read and follow all manufacturer’s instructions for the use and maintenance of each appliance in your home and keep them available for reference.

Manufacturer’s Service
If a problem arises with an appliance, call the customer service number listed in the manufacturer’s warranty. When reporting warranty items to the appliance manufacturer, be prepared to supply the following details:

Registration
Mail warranty registration cards directly to the manufacturer.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
We confirm that all appliance surfaces are in acceptable condition during your orientation. We assign all appliances warranties to you. Effective on the date of closing. The appliance manufacturers warrant their products directly to you according to the terms and conditions of these written warranties.

Appliance Serial Numbers
For warranty and service on an appliance, contact the appropriate manufacturer directly at the service number provided in the appliance literature. You will need to supply the model and serial number (usually located on a small plate or seal attached to the appliance), and the date of purchase (your closing date).

Attic Access

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
The attic space is neither designed nor intended for storage. We provide access to this area for maintenance of mechanical equipment that may traverse the attic space. When you perform needed tasks in the attic, use caution and avoid stepping off wood members onto the drywall. This can result in personal injury or damage to the ceiling below. Your limited warranty does not cover such injury or damage.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
J&J & Sons Construction and the local building department inspect the attic before your closing to confirm insulation is correct.

Brass Fixtures

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
The manufacturer treats brass fixtures with a clear protective coating, electro statically applied, to provide beauty and durability. This coating is not impervious to wear and tear. Atmospheric conditions, sunlight, caustic agents such as paints and scratches from sharp objects can cause the protective coating to crack or peel, exposing the brass and resulting in spotting and discoloration.

Cleaning
Initial care of these products requires only periodic cleaning with a mild, non-abrasive soap and buffing with a soft cloth.

Corrosion
Unless you have ordered solid brass fixtures, the brass on your fixtures is a coating on top of a base metal. Water having a high mineral content is corrosive to any brass – coated or solid.

Polish
When peeling, spotting or discoloration occurs, you can sometimes restore the beauty of the metal by completely removing the remaining coating and hand-polishing the item with a suitable brass polish. Applying a light coat of wax and buffing with a soft cloth helps maintain the gloss.

Tarnish
Like sterling silver, brass will gradually tarnish and eventually take on an antique appearance.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
During the orientation we will confirm that brass fixtures are in acceptable condition. J&J & Sons Construction does not warranty against corrosion damage to the external surfaces or internal workings of plumbing fixtures. This limitation includes solid brass-coated fixtures.

Cabinets

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
Your selection sheets are your record of the brand, style and color of your Mountain West Construction cabinets in your home. With your selected wood cabinets, expect differences in grain and color between and within the cabinet components due to natural variations in wood and the way it takes stain.

Cleaning
Products such as lemon oil or polishes that include scratch cover are suggested for wood cabinets care. Follow container directions. Use such products a maximum of once every 3 to 6 months to avoid excessive build-up. Avoid paraffin-based spray waxes and washing cabinets with water, as both will damage the luster of the finish.

Hinges
If hinges catch or drawer glides become sluggish, a small amount of silicone lubricant will improve their performance.

Moisture
Damage to cabinet surfaces and warping can result from operating appliances that generate large amounts of moisture (such as a crock pot) too near the cabinet. When operating such appliances, place them in a location that is not directly under a cabinet.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
During the orientation we will confirm that all cabinet parts are installed and tat their surfaces are in acceptable condition.

Alignment
Doors, drawer fronts and handles should be level and even.

Separations
We will correct gaps between cabinets and the ceiling and the walls by chalking or other means if the gap exceeds 1/8 inch (locations behind appliances are excepted from this repair).

Warping
If doors or drawer fronts warp in excess of ¼ inch within 24 inches, we will correct this by adjusting or replacement.

Wood Grain
Readily noticeable variations in wood grain and color are normal in all wood selections.

Carpet

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
Your selection sheets provide a record of the brand, style and color of floor coverings in your home. Please retain this information for future reference. Refer to the various manufacture’s recommendations for additional information on the care of your floor coverings.

Cleaning
You can add years to the life of your carpet with regular care. Carpet wears out because of foot traffic and dirt particles that get trampled deep into the pile beyond the suction of the vacuum.

The dirt particles wear down the fibers like sandpaper and dull the carpet. The most important thing you can do to protect your carpet is to vacuum it frequently.

Vacuum twice each week lightly and one a week thoroughly. Heavy traffic areas may require more frequent cleaning. A light vacuuming is three passes; a thorough job may need seven passes. A vacuum cleaner with a beater-bar agitates the pile and is more effective in bringing dirt to the surface for easy removal.

Vacuuming high-traffic areas daily helps keep them clean and maintains the upright position of the nap. Wipe spills and clean stains immediately. For best results, blot or dab any spill or stain; avoid rubbing. Test stain removers on an out-of-the-way area of the carpet, such as in a closet, to check for any undesirable effects. Have your carpet professionally cleaned regularly, usually once a year.

Some problem conditions that may occur with your new carpet and our suggested remedies are presented below.

Burns
Take care of any kind of burn immediately. First snip off the darkened fibers, then use a soap less cleaner and sponge with water. If the burn is extensive, talk with a professional about replacing the damaged area.

Crushing
Furniture and traffic may crush a carpet’s pile fibers. Frequent vacuuming in high-traffic areas and glides or cups under heavy pieces of furniture can help prevent this. Rotating your furniture to change the traffic pattern in a room promotes more even wear. Some carpets resist matting and crushing because their level of fiber, but this does not imply or guarantee that no matting or crushing will occur. Heavy traffic areas such as halls and stairways are more susceptible to wear and crushing. This is considered normal wear.

Fading
Science has yet to develop a color that will not fade with time. All carpets will slowly lose some color due to natural and artificial forces in the environment. You can delay this process by frequently removing soil with vacuuming regularly changing air filters in heating and air conditioning systems, keep humidity and room temperature from getting too high, and reducing sunlight exposure with window coverings.

Filtration
If interior doors are kept closed while the air conditioning is operating, air circulation from the closed room flows through the small space at the bottom of the door. This forces the air over the carpet fibers, which is turn acts as a filter, catching particulate pollution. Over time, a noticeable stain develops at the threshold.

Fuzzing
In loop carpets, fibers may break. Simply clip the excess fibers. If it continues, call a professional.

Pilling
Pilling or small balls of fiber can appear on your carpet, depending on the type of carpet fiber and the type of traffic. If this occurs, clip off the pills. If they cover a large area, seek professional advice.

Rippling
With wall-to-wall carpeting, high humidity may cause rippling. If the carpet remains rippled after the humidity has left, have a professional restretch the carpeting using a power stretcher, not a knee-kicker.

Seams
Carpet usually comes in 12-foot widths, making seams necessary in most rooms. Visible seams are not a defect unless they have been improperly made or unless the material has a defect, making the seam appear more pronounced than normal. The more dense and uniform the carpet texture, the more visible the seams will be. Carpet styles with low, tight naps result in the most visible seams. Seams are never more visible than when the carpet is first installed. Usually with time, use and vacuuming the seams become less visible. You can see examples of how carpet seams diminish after they have been vacuumed and have experienced traffic in model homes.

Shading
Shading is an inherent quality of fine-cut pile carpets. Household traffic causes pile fibers to assume different angles; as a result. The carpet appears darker and lighter in these areas. A good vacuuming, which makes the pile all go in the same direction, provides a temporary remedy.

Shedding
New carpeting, especially pile, shed bits of fiber for a period of time. Eventually these loose fibers are removed by vacuuming. Shedding usually occurs more with wool carpeting than with nylon or other synthetics.

Snags
Sharp-edged objects can grab or snag the carpet fiber. When this occurs, cut off the snag. If the snag is especially large, call a professional.

Sprouting
Occasionally you may find small tufts of fiber sprouting above carpet surface. Simply use scissors to cut off the sprout. Do not attempt to pull it, because other fibers will come out in the process.

Stains
No carpet is stain proof. Although your carpet manufacturer designates your carpet as stain-resistant, some substances may still cause permanent staining. These include hair dyes, shoe polish, paints and India ink. Some substances destroy or change the color of carpets, including bleaches, acne medications, drain cleaners, plant food, insecticides and food or beverages with strong colored natural dyes as found in some brands of mustard and herbal tea.

Refer to your care and maintenance brochures for recommended cleaning procedures for your particular fiber. Pretest any spot-removal solution in an inconspicuous area before using it in a large area. Apply several drops of the solution, hold a white tissue on the area, and count to 10. Examine both tissue and carpet for dye transfer and check for carpet damage.

Static
Cooler temperatures outside often contribute to static electricity inside. To avoid the problem, look for carpets made with anti-static. You can also install a humidifier to help control static build-up.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
During your orientation, we will confirm that your carpet is in acceptable condition. We will correct stains or spots noted at this time by cleaning, patching or replacement. J&J & Sons Construction will not be responsible for dye lot variation if replacements are made.

Edges
Edges of carpet along moldings and edges of stairs should be held firmly in place. In some areas, metal or other edging material may be used where carpet meets another floor covering.

Seams
Carpet seams will be visible. J&J & Sons Construction will repair any gaps or fraying.

Caulking

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
Time and weather will shrink and dry caulking so that it no longer provides a good seal. As routine maintenance, check the caulking and make needed repairs. Caulking compounds and dispenser guns are available at hardware stores. Read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to be certain that you select an appropriate caulk for the intended purpose.

Colored Caulk
Colored caulking is available where larger selections area provided. As with any colored material, dye lots can vary.

Latex Caulk
Latex caulking is appropriate for an area that requires painting such as along stair stringer or where wood trim meets the wall.

Silicone Caulk
Caulking that contains silicone will not accept paint; it works best where water is present, for example, where the tub meets tile or a sink meets a countertop.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
During the orientation we confirm that appropriate areas are adequately caulked.

One-Time Repair
We will touch up caulking one time during your materials and workmanship period. W suggest that this be performed with your 11-month service.

See also, Countertops, Expansion and Contraction, Stairs and Wood Trim.

Ceramic Tile

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
Your selection sheets include the brand and color of your ceramic tile.

Cleaning
Ceramic tile is one of the easiest floor coverings to maintain. Simply vacuum when needed, occasionally, a wet mopping with warm water may be appropriate. Avoid adding detergent to the water. If you feel a cleaning agent is required, use a mild solution of warm water and dishwasher crystals (they will not result in a heavy, difficult-to-remove lather on the grout.) Rinse thoroughly.

The ceramic tile installed on walls or countertops in your home may be washed with any nonabrasive soap, detergent or tile cleaner. Abrasive cleaners will dull the finish.

Grout Discoloration
Clean grout that becomes yellowed or stained with a fiber brush, cleanser and water. Grout cleaners and whiteners are available at most hardware stores.

Sealing Grout and Stone
Sealing grout is your decision and responsibility. Once grout has been sealed, ongoing maintenance of that seal is necessary and limited warranty coverage on grout that has been sealed is void.

Separations
Expect slight separations to occur in the grout between tiles. This grout is for decorative purposes only; it does not hold the tile in place. Cracks in the grout can be filled using premixed grout purchased from flooring or hardware stores. Follow package directions.

Tile around bathtubs or countertops may appear to be pulling up after a time. This is caused by normal shrinkage of grout or caulk and shrinkage of wood members as they dry out. If this occurs the best remedy is to purchase tub caulk or premixed grout from a hardware store, follow directions on the container. This maintenance is important to protect the underlying surface from water damage.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
During orientation we confirm that tile and grout areas are in acceptable condition. We will repair or replace cracked, badly chipped, or loose tiles noted at this time. J&J & Sons Construction is not responsible for variations in color or discontinued patterns. New grout may vary in color from the original.

One-Time Repair
Cracks appearing in grouting of ceramic tiles at joints or junctions with other materials are commonly due to shrinkage. J&J & Sons Construction will repair grouting, if necessary, one time during the first year. We are not responsible for color variations in grout or discontinued colored grout. Any grouting or caulking that is needed after that time is your responsibility.

Concrete Flatwork

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
By maintaining good drainage, you protect your home’s foundation and the concrete flatwork, the basement floor, porch, patio, driveway, garage floor and sidewalks.

Concrete slabs are floating – they are not attached to the home’s foundation walls. These are not a structural (load-bearing) element of the home and are not covered by the structural warranty.

We install a flexible collar around the top of the furnace plenum. Gas and water lines include flexible connections and drain lines have slip joints. The basement stairs do not rest on the floor and the support posts under the I-beam are separated from the floor slab. J&J & Sons Construction incorporates all these details in the construction of the basement floor because we know the floor will move in response to the soils. Movement of the basement slab or any concrete slab results in cracking. Minimize this movement by following J&J & Sons Construction landscaping recommendations, the objective of which is to prevent moisture from reaching soils around and under the home.

Cleaning
Avoid washing exterior concrete slabs with cold water from an outside faucet when temperatures are high and the sun has been shining on the concrete. The abrupt change in temperature can damage the surface bond of the concrete. We recommend sweeping to keep exterior concrete clean. If washing is necessary, do this when temperatures are moderate. Repeated cleaning of the garage floor by hosing can increase soil movement by allowing water to penetrate any existing cracks. We recommend sweeping to clean the garage floor.

Repeated cleaning of the garage floor by hosing can increase soil movement by allowing water to penetrate any existing cracks. We recommend sweeping to clean the garage floor.

Cracks
A concrete slab 10 feet across shrinks approximately 5/8 inch as it cures. Some of this shrinkage shows up as cracks. Cracking of concrete flatwork also results from temperature changes that cause expansion and contraction.

During the summer moisture finds its way under the concrete along the edges or through cracks in the surface. In winter this moisture forms frost that can lift the concrete, increasing the cracking. Maintaining drainage away from all concrete slabs will minimize cracking from this cause.

As cracks occurs, seal them with a waterproof concrete caulk (available at hardware or home improvement stores) to prevent moisture from penetrating to the soil beneath.

Expansion Joints
We install expansion joints to help control expansion. However, as the concrete shrinks during the curing process, moisture can penetrate under the concrete and lift the expansion joint. When this occurs, fill the resulting gap with a gray silicone sealant, which you can purchase at most hardware stores.

Heavy Vehicles
Do not permit heavy vehicles such as moving vans or concrete trucks to drive on your concrete work. We design and install this concrete for residential use only.

Ice, Snow and Chemicals
Driving or parking on snow creates ice on the drive, which magnifies the effects of snow on the concrete surface. Remove ice and snow from concrete slabs as promptly as possible after snowstorms. Protect concrete from abuse by chemical agents such as pet urine, fertilizers, radiator overflow, repeated hosing, or de-icing agents; such as road salt that can drip from vehicles. All of these items can cause spalling (chipping of the surface) of concrete.

Sealer
A concrete sealer, available at paint stores, will help you keep an unpainted concrete floor clean. Do not use soap on unpainted concrete. Instead, use plain water and washing soda or if necessary scouring powder.

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
Concrete slabs are floating – they are not attached to the home’s foundation walls. These are not a structural (load-bearing) element of the home and are not covered by the structural warranty. The limited warranty coverage is for one year unless the requirements of your loan state otherwise.

Condensation

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
Condensation on interior surfaces of the windows and frames comes from high humidity within the home combined with low outside temperatures and inadequate ventilation. Family lifestyle significantly influences these conditions. If your home includes a humidifier, closely observe manufacturer’s directions for its use, especially during periods of cooler temperatures.

See also ventilation

J&J & Sons Construction Limited Warranty Guidelines
Condensation results from a family’s lifestyle and J&J & Sons Construction has no control over this. The limited warranty coverage excludes condensation.

Countertops

Home Owner Use and Maintenance Guidelines
Use a cutting board to protect the countertops when you cut or chop. Protect the counter from heat and from extremely hot pans. If you cannot put your hand on it, do not put it on the counter. Do not use countertops as ironing boards and do not set lighted cigarettes on the edge of the counter.

Caulking
The caulking between the countertop and the wall, along the joint at the backsplash, and around the sink may shrink, leaving a slight gap. Maintaining a good seal in these locations is important to keep moisture from reaching the wood under the laminates and to prevent warping.

Cleaning
Avoid abrasive cleaners that will damage the luster of the surface.

Wax
Wax is not necessary, but can be used to make counters gleam.