Trusted Home Repair Diagnosis Guides · Page 9

Symptom Guides · windows

Cold Air Leaking Around the Window Frame

Cold air around a double-pane window frame almost always comes from the unsealed gap between the window unit and the rough opening, failed exterior perimeter caulk, or worn sash weatherstripping. The glass itself is rarely the source when the draft is at the edges.

Symptom Guides · windows

Winter condensation inside double-pane glass

Condensation on the room-side surface of double-pane windows in winter means indoor humidity is too high for the temperature of the glass. Lower indoor relative humidity to 30-40% (less in subzero weather) and improve air movement across the glass.

Symptom Guides · windows

Water pooling in sliding door track

Water pools on a sliding glass door's interior track when the exterior sill's weep holes are blocked and drainage backs up over the divider rail, or when the sill seal, weatherstrip, or roller height has failed. Clearing the weeps solves most cases for under $20.

Symptom Guides · windows

Lock won't line up with the strike

A sliding glass door lock stops lining up with the strike when the panel drops on worn rollers or the keeper shifts in its slotted mounting holes. Adjusting the keeper up or down usually solves it; if the door has sagged more than about 1/4 inch, the rollers need adjustment or replacement.

Symptom Guides · windows

Bay window seat board soft and spongy

A spongy bay window seat board is rotted from long-term water exposure, typically from failed sash caulking, condensation running off the glass, or a leak in the bay's roof cap. Probe the wood to map the damage and have the supporting framing inspected before anyone sits on it again.

Symptom Guides · septic

Sewage smell in the yard after rain

Sewage odor in the yard after rain is usually caused by a drainfield that can't accept effluent in saturated soil, or by storm water entering the septic tank through a damaged lid or riser and forcing gas out at grade.

Symptom Guides · septic

Septic alarm on, tank looks normal

A septic alarm with a normal-looking tank means the high-water float is in a different chamber, typically the pump or dose tank, and that chamber is overfilling because the effluent pump, float switch, or its power circuit has failed.

Symptom Guides · septic

All Drains Slowed at Once: Septic Tank

Every drain in the house slowing at once on a septic system points to a blockage downstream of all the fixtures: a full tank, a clogged effluent filter, or an obstructed main line. Check the septic tank water level first, since a level above the outlet pipe means the problem is past the tank, not in your plumbing.

Symptom Guides · septic

Spongy wet ground over the leach lines

Spongy, wet ground over leach lines means septic effluent is surfacing because the drain field can no longer absorb it, typically due to biomat clogging, solids carryover from an unpumped tank, hydraulic overload from a leak, or a high water table.

Symptom Guides · septic

Septic backs up only in heavy rain

A septic system that backs up only during heavy rain means the drain field soil is saturated and can't accept effluent, or stormwater is leaking directly into the tank through a damaged lid, riser, or improperly connected sump pump.

Symptom Guides · landscaping

Sprinkler Head Leaking at the Lowest Spot

A sprinkler head leaks at the lowest point in the yard because gravity drains the water left in that zone's pipes out through the lowest opening after the valve closes. It's called low-head drainage, and it's normal unless the seepage lasts more than a few minutes.

Symptom Guides · landscaping

Backflow preventer dripping constantly

A sprinkler backflow preventer drips constantly because a check valve or relief valve inside it has stopped sealing, usually from debris on the seat, a worn rubber disc, or freeze damage to the poppet or bonnet.

Symptom Guides · landscaping

Sprinkler controller won't change zones

A sprinkler controller that won't advance between zones is almost always caused by a stuck valve holding water on, a failed triac output feeding constant 24VAC to one zone, or a programming issue like a single long run time or overlapping start times.

Symptom Guides · landscaping

French drain outlet buried, not draining

A French drain outlet stops draining when soil, mulch, or washed-in silt buries the pipe end, or when sediment packs the last few feet of pipe. Digging the outlet back open, flushing the line with a hose, and re-cutting the grade around it fixes most cases for $30–$200.

Symptom Guides · landscaping

Water surfacing above a French drain line

Water surfaces above a French drain when the line can no longer discharge, usually from a clogged or crushed pipe, silt-blinded filter fabric and gravel, or a buried, submerged, or blocked outlet. Check the discharge point first, then camera the line before digging.

Symptom Guides · chimney

Creosote flakes falling into the firebox

Creosote flakes fall into the firebox when buildup inside the flue gets thick enough to break loose, usually from burning wet wood, smoldering fires, or skipping annual sweeps. Stop using the fireplace and book a Level 2 chimney inspection.