Diagnose Home Repair Symptoms Room by Room

Symptom Guides · appliance

Fridge Not Cooling in Winter?

A refrigerator that stops cooling in winter is usually installed in an unheated space where cold ambient temperatures below 55F trick the thermostat into keeping the compressor off, starving the freezer coils.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Summer Freezer Ice Buildup

Summer ice buildup in a freezer is usually caused by humid air entering through a worn door gasket or from frequent door openings, which freezes on the cold coils. Check the door seal and the defrost drain first.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Refrigerator Door Seal Gap

Your refrigerator door seal gaps because the gasket is worn, dirty, or warped, or because the door has sagged out of alignment on its hinge. Cleaning or replacing the gasket, or adjusting the hinge, fixes it for most people.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Dishwasher Suddenly Not Draining

A dishwasher that suddenly won't drain usually has a clog in the filter, drain hose, or garbage disposal connection. Clean the filter and check the disposal knockout plug first; if water still pools, the drain pump may have failed.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Dishes Sometimes Come Out Dirty?

A dishwasher that cleans dishes intermittently usually has a partially clogged filter, mineral-blocked spray arm jets, or inconsistent water temperature, so weak spray only shows up on heavier or badly loaded cycles.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Dishwasher Leaking Worse From Door

Your dishwasher leaks worse from the door because the door gasket is cracked or hardened, the door is misaligned or sagging, or excess suds are pushing water past the seal. A machine that isn't level makes any of these worse.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Dishwasher Error E24 in Older Homes

A dishwasher E24 error means the unit failed to drain within its expected cycle time, usually from a clogged filter, kinked or blocked drain hose, or a garbage disposal knockout plug that was never removed.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Washer Won't Spin After Power Outage

Most washers won't spin after a power outage because they've latched into a fault state. Unplug the machine for 60 seconds, restore power, and run an empty spin cycle. If it still won't spin, a surge likely damaged the control board, lid lock, or motor.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Washer Shakes Hard in Winter?

Your washing machine shakes violently in winter mostly because cold thickens the suspension dampers and grease, so an unbalanced load that would ride fine in summer now bangs the cabinet. Rebalance the load, level the feet, and let the room warm up before assuming a part failed.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Oven Heats Unevenly? Causes & Fixes

An oven that won't heat evenly is most often caused by a failing bake or broil element, a drifting temperature sensor, or a stalled convection fan. Test with an oven thermometer before replacing parts.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Gas Smell Near Oven When Off?

If your oven range smells like gas while it's turned off, evacuate everyone immediately, avoid touching any light switches or electronics, and call your gas utility's emergency line or 911 from outside. Do not attempt to locate or test the leak yourself. Only a qualified technician should inspect and repair a gas range leak.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Oven Igniter Clicks But No Flame

Intermittent igniter clicking with no flame on a gas oven or range usually means moisture or debris is blocking the burner, or the spark module or glow igniter is failing to trigger gas flow. Clean and dry the burner first; if clicking continues, the module or igniter likely needs replacement.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Oven Self-Clean Door Won't Unlock

A worsening self-clean locked door on an oven range is usually a failing latch motor, a bad door lock switch, or a control board reading a false high-temperature signal. Let the oven fully cool, then cycle power at the breaker before replacing the latch assembly.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Microwave Sparking Inside (Older Home)

Sparks inside a microwave are usually caused by metal in the cavity, a burned mica waveguide cover, or corroded rack supports. Stop the unit immediately and inspect for these before running it again.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Disposal Flange Leak After Power Outage

A garbage disposal that leaks at the flange after a power outage almost always has a failed sink-flange seal that the restart vibration finally broke loose. Retighten the mounting ring, and if it still drips, re-set the flange with fresh plumber's putty.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Disposal Grinds Dull in Winter

A garbage disposal that grinds dully in winter is almost always working against grease and food waste that congealed because your incoming water is colder. Run hot water for 30 seconds before and during use to soften the buildup.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Disposal Reset Button Won't Stay In

Your disposal's reset button won't stay in because the motor is still overloaded or jammed. Cut power, free the flywheel with a 1/4-inch hex wrench from the bottom, let it cool 15 minutes, then reset. If it still trips, the motor has failed and the unit needs replacing.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Freezer Cold but Fridge Warm

Your freezer is cold but the fridge is warm because the cold air can't move from the freezer to the fridge. It's usually a frost-blocked evaporator coil, a failed evaporator fan, or a stuck air damper.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Refrigerator Runs Constantly, Won't Shut Off

A refrigerator runs constantly most often because dirty condenser coils or a bad door seal force the compressor to work nonstop. Clean the coils and check the gasket first; if it still won't cycle off, suspect the defrost system or a refrigerant issue.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Water Pooling Under a Refrigerator

A refrigerator leaks water underneath most often because of a clogged defrost drain that backs up inside the unit, a full or cracked evaporation pan, or a leaking water supply line to the ice maker or dispenser.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Fridge Freezing Food in Fresh Section

A refrigerator freezes food in the fresh food section when the temperature is set too cold, the air damper is stuck open, or a failed thermistor reports the wrong temperature and makes the compressor run too long.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Ice Maker Stopped Making Ice

An ice maker usually stops making ice because it's switched off, the water supply is shut or restricted, or the fill tube has frozen shut. Start by confirming the shutoff arm is down and water actually reaches the unit.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Dryer Needs Two Cycles to Dry Clothes

A clothes dryer taking two full cycles to dry is usually caused by restricted airflow from a clogged lint screen or a lint-packed vent duct. Clean both first; if it persists with clear venting, suspect a weak heating element or a failing thermostat.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Dryer Smells Hot or Burning?

A dryer that smells hot or burning is usually overheating from clogged lint in the vent or trap, a slipping drive belt, or a failing motor. Turn it off, unplug it, and inspect the lint path before running it again.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Washing Machine Won't Drain

Your washing machine won't drain because something is blocking the drain path or the drain pump failed. Check the pump filter, drain hose, and lid switch first; those account for most no-drain problems.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Washer Leaking From the Bottom?

A washing machine leaks from the bottom most often because of a loose drain or fill hose connection, a worn water pump seal, or a torn door gasket on front-load models.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Oven Won't Heat but Stovetop Works

Your oven and stovetop run on separate circuits inside the range, so a cold oven with a working stovetop points to a failed oven part, most often a burned-out bake element, a blown thermal fuse, or a bad control board.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Dryer Runs But Not Heating?

A clothes dryer that tumbles but won't heat usually has a failed heating element, a blown thermal fuse, or a gas ignition fault. On electric models, check for a half-tripped 240V breaker first.

Symptom Guides · appliance

Dryer Vent Hose Crushed or Clogged

Your dryer vent hose is crushed usually because the dryer sits too close to the wall and pinches the hose, or it's clogged with lint that's been building up over months. Both restrict airflow and force longer drying times.