Common home problems, explained
What’s going on with your home?
Real answers to the questions people actually have — what’s likely wrong, whether it’s safe to handle yourself, and when it’s genuinely worth having someone come take a look.
Plumbing
- Why does my toilet keep running after I flush?
- Why is my kitchen sink draining slowly or not at all?
- Why does my bathroom sink or tub drain so slowly?
- Why did my garbage disposal suddenly stop working?
- Why has my water pressure gotten so weak?
- Why is my water heater not producing hot water anymore?
- I smell gas in my house — what should I do?⚠
- Why does my faucet keep dripping even when it's fully off?
- Why does my toilet have a weak flush or not flush at all?
- What should I do about a burst or actively leaking pipe?⚠
- Why is my outdoor faucet leaking or dripping?
Electrical
- Why do my lights flicker sometimes?
- Why has one of my outlets stopped working?
- Why does my circuit breaker keep tripping?
- I noticed a burning smell near an outlet, switch, or my breaker panel — what should I do?⚠
- Why did my light switch stop working?
- Why does my smoke detector keep chirping?
- My carbon monoxide alarm is going off — what should I do?⚠
- Why is my ceiling fan wobbling or not working?
- Why does an entire room have no power?
- Why doesn't my doorbell work anymore?
Handyman
- Why won't my door close or latch properly anymore?
- Why does my door squeak every time it opens?
- Why is my window stuck or hard to open?
- How big of a drywall hole is a DIY fix versus something to call someone for?
- My handrail (or banister) feels loose or wobbly on the stairs — how urgent is that?⚠
- Why won't my garage door opener work?
- Why won't my cabinet drawer slide smoothly, or why is the door sagging?
- How do I know if a loose deck board is a simple fix or a bigger problem?
- Why is my refrigerator not cooling properly anymore?
HVAC
- Why is my air conditioner running but not actually cooling the house?
- Why is my furnace running but not producing heat?
- Why is my thermostat screen blank or unresponsive?
- Why is airflow from my vents so weak?
- Why does my AC or furnace turn on and off constantly instead of running normally?
- Why is my furnace making a strange banging, rattling, or squealing noise?
House Cleaning
- What actually gets cleaned in a move-out cleaning versus a regular one?
- Why is baked-on grime in my oven so hard to get clean myself?
- Why does my grout still look dirty no matter how much I scrub it?
- Why won't a carpet stain come out even after I've tried to clean it myself?
- Why does my refrigerator still smell after I've cleaned it?
Lawn Maintenance
- Why does my lawn have brown or dead patches?
- Why are my gutters overflowing when it rains?
- Why isn't one zone of my sprinkler system turning on?
- Why do weeds keep coming back in my flower beds no matter how often I pull them?
- Why does water pool in my yard after it rains and take days to drain?
- How urgent is it to deal with ice on a driveway or walkway?⚠