Start from what you see
| Symptom | Where to start | Call someone now if |
|---|---|---|
| Sparks or a burning smell from a socket or panel | Common household electrical faults, Circuit breakers | Touch nothing, switch off the main breaker if it is safe to reach, and call a licensed electrician. |
| The RCD keeps tripping | Common household electrical faults, Circuit breakers | Do not bypass it or replace it with a bigger breaker; tripping is a warning. |
| High water bill, or the meter turns with taps closed | How to find water leaks in walls and floors, Common plumbing problems and fixes | — |
| Damp patches or mould on a wall | Damp walls, Indoor air and dust at home | — |
| Peeling paint or white salts | Paint problems, Damp walls | — |
| A crack in a wall or ceiling | Cracks in concrete and walls | If the crack is widening, diagonal, or comes with settlement, noises or doors suddenly sticking: a structural engineer immediately. |
| Exposed or rusting rebar in slabs or columns | Rebar corrosion and spalling concrete | Falling concrete flakes or clearly corroded steel: a structural engineer before any repair. |
| Tiles tenting, hollow or cracked | Common tile problems | — |
| Sewer smell indoors | Common plumbing problems and fixes, Home drainage basics | — |
| Roof leaking after rain | Roof waterproofing, Roofs and slabs | — |
| AC not cooling or dripping water | Common AC faults | — |
| Water or whistling air through a window | Common window problems | — |
| A lot of dust indoors | Indoor air and dust at home | — |
| Water pooling around the building or a sinking yard | Water around the building, The ground under your house | — |
| Water heater leaking or making strange noises | Water heaters | Continuous discharge from the relief valve or a burning smell: switch off the heater's power and call a technician. |
| Mud tubes on walls or hollow wood | Building pests and termites | — |
Tiles, Ceramic & Porcelain
Paints
Doors, Windows & Glazing
Concrete, Steel & Soil
Cracks in concrete and walls: types, causes, and when they are serious
Not every crack is dangerous, and not every crack is harmless. The common crack forms as classified by the US National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, why concrete cracks in hot weather, and the warning signs that call for a structural engineer.
Rebar corrosion and spalling concrete: why it happens in our buildings and how to prevent it from the start
Flakes falling from the ceiling and exposed rusty steel are widespread problems, especially in coastal cities and on salty ground. How steel corrodes in concrete, the role of chlorides and carbonation, and what the US National Ready Mixed Concrete Association recommends for prevention.
Plumbing & Pipes
How to find water leaks in walls and floors: from the meter test to the thermal camera
An unexplained high water bill, a damp wall or a stain on the ceiling? Start with the free tests the US Environmental Protection Agency recommends, then the professionals' tools — thermal cameras and moisture meters — and their limits.
Common plumbing problems and fixes: sewer smells, banging pipes, low pressure and blockages
A sewer smell from an unused floor drain, a loud bang when a tap closes, or weak pressure. The causes of the most common household plumbing problems, their fixes, what you can do yourself and when you need a plumber.
Electrical
Air Conditioning
Common AC faults: not cooling, dripping water, tripping, or noisy — causes and what you can do
Before calling a technician: many AC problems come from a clogged filter, a blocked condensate drain, or an outdoor unit choked with dust. What the US Department of Energy recommends for maintenance, and what a professional technician should check.
Indoor air and dust at home: where dust gets in, humidity and odours, and MERV filters
Dust, odours and humidity indoors have three known remedies: source control, ventilation and filtration. From U.S. EPA guidance: MERV filter ratings, target humidity, the 24–48 hour rule against mold, and when to call a professional.