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1 Hercules Way, Leavesden
Watford, WD25 7GS
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When you first move into a new build home, it needs to undergo a period of stabilisation.
Your new home will need a period of running-in to allow the materials used in construction to stabilise to their new environment. During the first year, water from construction materials is being drawn out and some movement of these materials is inevitable. It is very important to allow your home to dry out as naturally as possible, to minimise cracking and movement of finishes. You can aid this drying out process through temperature control and adequate ventilation.
We have put together some simple steps, which you can take on a day-to-day basis to help prevent any damage occurring to your home, while it stabilises:
If you are producing a lot of moisture try to ensure that a window is open. Use your extractor fans. A fan will extract the moisture at source and prevent it spreading to other rooms.
Cover your pans when you are cooking, and do not allow the kettle to boil for longer than you need it to. When taking a bath or shower, close the bathroom door to stop steam escaping. Ventilate thoroughly after you have finished.
If condensation does occur on window glass, simply wipe it away. Moisture can cause wooden doors to swell, which can make them difficult to open/close.
To minimise cracking, try to keep a reasonably even temperature in your home so the structure warms up and dries out gradually. Use central heating sparingly at first, especially if you move in during winter, and make sure you don’t have the heating on too high. We recommend that heating thermostats should be set no higher than 20°C. When you vacate your home for a pro-longed period of time, we recommend that central heating thermostat settings are set to 5°C.
We have finished the walls with matt emulsion paint. Further coats of emulsion and water-based paints or wallpaper can be used for later redecoration, after the walls have dried out. Minor shrinkage cracks are a natural result of your home drying out and as such are not classed as a defect that BoKlok is obliged to rectify.
These should be left for a few months and then sealed after your new home has dried out. When you redecorate, use a good filler to make good any gaps and plaster cracks that may have arisen from normal drying-out and shrinkage.
Drying and movement of the timber components used in construction of your new home, may result in the need for the following adjustments:
The appearance of these features are a result of the drying out process that is taking place and are quite normal and in no way constitute faults.
