home improvement: Caulk – A Valuable Tool for Home Maintenance - 01/07/10 03:06 PM
What is one of the most-used items both during the construction of your Lennar home and after you've moved in? If you guessed caulk, you're correct!
Caulk is an extremely useful substance that has many different purposes. During construction, it is used to seal certain openings, prevent water penetration, and provide a neat finish in various areas - both on the interior and exterior of your new Lennar home. Over time, caulk deteriorates and will need to be repaired or replaced. This is one of the main homeowner maintenance items you will need to be aware as your home ages. Luckily, … (2 comments)

home improvement: Organizing Your Home Office Desk - 12/10/09 01:32 AM
The winter months are a great time to stay inside your home and get things organized. One of the places where clutter tends to build up is in a home office. Your desk may wind up being the central resting place for bills, cards, letters, and various and sundry other items. We found an article with some great tips on how to de-clutter - and help you regain control of this important work space. Click here to access this article on desktop organization presented by Good Housekeeping.


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home improvement: Caring for Your Home’s Exterior - 12/08/09 07:56 AM
The exterior of your Lennar home is built using quality products. Even so, features such as your roof, walls, doors, windows, flatwork and landscaping are affected by the elements of nature and will need regular maintenance to keep them looking their best.
This section of the Lennar Home Care Video discusses some of the most common exterior areas and items that require maintenance, including your roof; mold and efflorescence; concrete, asphalt and pavers; garage doors; decks; and hurricane shutters.  Watch the 10-minute video below to learn more about these topics.
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home improvement: Using Videos to Educate Buyers and Homeowners - 11/17/09 02:23 AM
It's pretty apparent that people are watching more and more videos online with more than 10 billion videos viewed on-line in the month of August.  Did you miss the most recent news or entertainment event on TV? You can find it on YouTube.  Did you miss your favorite TV show?  Go to Hulu and you can see it in its entirety.  Have you received an email recently with a link to a video?  Or have you have seen videos show up in your news feed on Facebook?  It seems everywhere you look on-line videos are present.   In order to keep … (3 comments)

home improvement: Tips to Declutter Your Home - 11/11/09 04:47 AM
If you've ever been stressed about too much stuff in your home, it may feel like decluttering is an insurmountable task. Well, we searched the web and found a website with some great tips on taking control of the clutter - in a fun way that helps you feel like you're spending minimal time doing so.
This great article shares 5 Tips to Declutter in 15 Minutes a Day, starting with the 27-Fling Boogie. So, set your timer and start making a positive change in your home today!






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home improvement: Accenting With Accessories - 11/05/09 03:27 AM
If you have the basics down, but just aren't sure how to accessorize your new Lennar home, this article is a great place to start.
Brought to you by MyInteriorDecorator.com, Ten Tips for Accessorizing Your Home gives you simple ideas for how to put the finishing touches on your new home.
From adding art and accessories to using color, these tips will give you a great foundation - and when you are ready to start shopping, check out our Lennar Rewards Program for access to great deals from some of the country's leading retailers.
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home improvement: Cure the Backyard Blues - 11/05/09 01:08 AM
Looking to spice up your outdoor living space and need some help getting started? More and more people are choosing to spend their time entertaining outdoors, enjoying family and friends or just getting away from the stresses of everyday life.
Whether you are a homeowner looking to design your own backyard retreat or a seasoned professional, the overwhelming array of design options can be extremely daunting.
Danny Lipford, host of "Today's Homeowner," has some great ideas about how to transform your backyard into your own personal haven.
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home improvement: Addressing Drywall Cracks and Nail Pops - 10/26/09 02:19 PM
Your Lennar home has been built to meet the needs of your family - and to last. As you know, minor cosmetic imperfections occur as a home settles and do not necessarily indicate that there are any major problems. In fact, as your home settles, it is very common for hairline cracks and nail pops to appear on both the interior and exterior walls. These are normal and are caused by the natural expansion and contraction of the materials in your home. A nail pop is what happens when wall studs and drywall contract, causing the nail to pop out from … (3 comments)

home improvement: Garbage Disposal Dos and Don’ts - 10/26/09 02:18 PM
Your new Lennar home includes many of the conveniences of modern living. The garbage disposal in your kitchen sink is one of these useful features.
The garbage disposal is not meant for disposing of large amounts of leftover food, especially items like potato peels or eggshells. Large bones and fibrous materials can also damage the garbage disposal. Make sure to refer to the manufacturer's instructions for information on exactly how to use your garbage disposal.
When using the disposal, run cold water to wash down materials, letting it run for a sufficient amount of time to carry the particles down and … (0 comments)

home improvement: Mold and Efflorescence - 10/26/09 07:59 AM
A discoloration, generally white in color, may develop on your stucco, brick or stacked stone surfaces. This is known as efflorescence, and is basically just salt that is deposited on the surface through a natural chemical process. Although efflorescence changes the appearance of the surface, it is not structurally damaging or harmful to the masonry.
To remove efflorescence, mix warm water with a bit of vinegar, then scrub the area with a stiff brush. If this does not work, you can purchase special cleaning products from your local hardware store. Make sure to check the manufacturer's product information to ensure that … (0 comments)

home improvement: What Are Weep Holes? - 10/22/09 01:23 PM
Now that you have moved into your new home, you will probably start noticing more details in the structure of your home, such as gaps between the bricks. Although these may look like large cracks between your bricks, don't be afraid.
These openings - called weep holes - are purposely left between bricks in the lower layers of external walls to assist in proper drainage and ventilation. Without ventilation, internal wall studs and other building materials within the wall cavity can become damaged by damp conditions. Additionally, condensation and water that enters the wall cavity need to have an escape path … (4 comments)

home improvement: LennarCares - Blog Dedicated To Help You Care For Your Home - 10/22/09 10:10 AM
Lennar is proud to bring you LennarCares.com. This blog was designed for Lennar Customers - or anyone looking for information on caring for their home. Besides quick and easy access to Lennar's Customer Care team, LennarCares.com offers useful tips on home maintenance, energy efficiency, and decorating ideas offered by our very own Lennar Associates. LennarCares.com contains supplemental information to Lennar.com and will provide you with an extra level of dedicated customer service, should you need it.



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home improvement: Maintaining Your Faucets - 10/22/09 02:12 AM
Taking care of the faucets in your new home should be part of your regular maintenance routine. You should plan to inspect and clean your faucet aerators on a quarterly basis.
Keep in mind that normal wear and tear will take its toll on the faucet's water pressure. This is because over time, sediment buildup may occur on your faucet's aerator screen - a device that looks like a small filter. Its job is to add air to the water as it leaves the faucet, conserving water and keeping it from spraying.
Before you start working on your faucets, make sure … (1 comments)

home improvement: Caulking – An Important Part of Home Maintenance - 10/20/09 01:55 PM
Caulk is a substance that has many important uses. It is widely used in construction to seal openings where air and water might enter wall cavities, helping to prevent water damage, increase energy efficiency, and prevent insects from crawling through cracks into your Lennar home. Caulk is also used around faucets, pipes, drains, bathtubs and other plumbing fixtures. It provides a moisture barrier, keeping water away from areas that could be damaged if exposed to water. Caulk can be used to close small cracks and gaps that may result from the movement of materials due to changes in temperature. Finally, caulk … (2 comments)

home improvement: Draining a Water Heater - 10/15/09 12:41 PM
Draining the water heater in your new Lennar home is a part of homeowner maintenance that should be done at least once a year. Check the manufacturer's instructions for more information about your particular water heater and the suggested frequency for flushing the system.
The purpose of draining your water heater is to remove limestone and sediment that can collect on the bottom of the tank. Doing this maintenance can increase its life and reduce your utility bills by allowing the water heater to operate at maximum efficiency.
Please remember to be very careful when performing this maintenance, as there is … (1 comments)

home improvement: Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detectors - 10/15/09 01:56 AM
Your new Lennar home comes with smoke detectors to help protect you and your family. There may also be carbon monoxide (CO) detectors installed. These items are wired directly into your electrical system and should also have back-up batteries installed. It is very important that you keep these devices in good working condition - they could save your life one day.
Be sure to test these units on a regular basis to ensure that they are working properly. Follow the instructions in your unit's manual for directions on how to perform regular testing.
During a power failure the units should continue … (0 comments)

home improvement: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters - 10/07/09 06:17 AM
In addition to the circuit breakers in the breaker box, your Lennar home has ground fault circuit interrupters, also known as GFCI or GFI outlets. These outlets are intended to provide extra safety in your home by working to prevent accidental electrocutions, burns, and electric shock injuries. For more information on exactly how GFCIs work, please click here to read an excellent article published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Your Lennar home is built in accordance with the National Electrical Code, which requires GFCI outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, garage, and most outdoor receptacles. Keep in mind that one … (18 comments)

home improvement: Caring For Your Flatwork - 09/30/09 02:37 PM
One of the most common concerns our Lennar homeowners share with us involves the appearance of small cracks, chips, discoloration, sinking, or other movement in pavers or flatwork. Areas where you might notice these occurrences include concrete walkways, driveways, patios and some floors. Cracks and chips are common and are caused by normal shrinkage, expansion, and contraction of the materials used in flatwork. Sometimes, control joints are included in concrete flatwork. These joints are designed to control where the natural cracks will occur, rather than allowing the concrete to crack randomly.
While cracks are normal, you should inspect flatwork surfaces on … (1 comments)