Ceilings and walls of the home especially with children get dirty over time. It makes home look untidy as the smudges, scuffs, dust, and even minor damages need to be countered and maintained. With regular cleaning and repairing the ceilings and walls will look as good as they were built and will continue adding beauty to your house.
Guidelines for Care and Maintenance of Walls and Ceilings
Following are guidelines for care and maintenance of home walls and ceilings:
For interior walls and ceilings:
- The walls and ceilings are built with quality drywall and paint products and they last for a lifetime if they are maintained properly.
- Use a mild soap to remove spots gently. Avoid scrubbing the painted walls as there are chances of flattening paint that stains very easily.
- Inspect walls and ceilings for signs of condensation and if any detected call for service immediately.
- Avoid washing newly painted surfaces for the first few months as the paint needs time to set and dry.
- For removing dust vacuum acoustical ceilings gently.
- It is important to keep the filters of heating and cooling units clean and there should be proper usage of exhaust fans everywhere needed to avoid dust and repainting frequently.
- Avoid overloading closet rods.
- Ceiling outlets installed in garages and attics cannot support light fixtures or ceiling fans that weigh more than 50 pounds.
- Latex paints can be stored for two years however exposure to extreme heat or cold may shorten their life span. Avoid usage of latex paint when the temperature is above 90 F and below 45F.
- Locate ceiling joist to attach hardware from heavy hanging plants, lamps, and macramé as ceiling drywall is not designed to support any weight.
For Repairing the Surface
- Newly built homes go through a normal shrinkage process, minor cracks and possibly nail or screw pops can appear. Avoid making any repairs in the drywall until you repaint the room.
- For cracks:
- Use an elastomeric filling to fill cracks which is available on any paint store.
- For indentations:
- Apply two or three fillings to the joint used for drywall taping, available at any paint or hardware store.
- Use fine sandpaper to smooth out the compound and repaint the area.
For Fixing Nail Pop
- Follow these steps to fix nail pops:
- For driving the popped nail back into the wall use a hammer and then drive a new nail to the wall, lapping the head of the new nail over the head of the old one. If the drywall has screws instead of nails, tighten the popped screw back with the help of a screwdriver. Make sure the nails are set in the drywall in a way that they are not protruding the surface
- Use a putty knife to apply a spackling compound over the screw by following the manufacturer’s guide. Make sure to spread the paste evenly across the surface.
- Use fine sandpaper to smooth out the surface once the spackle is dried. The wall needs to be smooth in touch.
- For wiping away the dust from sanding use a cloth.
- Use paint, wallpaper, and another wall décor to redecorate the surface.
