Common Home Problems and Solutions

Is your home cold, drafty, or uncomfortable? Do you have high energy bills? Ice dams? Peeling paint? Excessive dust? Addressing these types of home problems can make your home more comfortable, and at the same time improve its energy efficiency — saving you money on utility bills and helping to protect the environment too.

High Energy Bills

High utility bills in summer and winter can often be traced to air leaks in your home's envelope, inefficient windows or inefficient or incorrectly installed heating and cooling equipment, or poorly sealed and insulated ducts.

Diagnosis:

One reason for high energy bills is an increase in the price of electricity or heating fuel. However, it is common to trace high energy bills to an in-efficient component (windows, heating and cooling equipment, ducts insulation) of your home or a failure of one of these components to perform as intended. It is not always easy to pin-point the problem, but fixing it can make your home more energy-efficient and comfortable.

Prescription Checklist:

To improve the energy efficiency of your home start with an evaluation of your homes energy use.

Mold, Mildew or Musty Odors

Water leaks or high humidity can lead to mold and mildew. This can cause wood rot, structural damage, peeling paint, and a variety of health problems. Often, high humidity in homes with central air conditioners can be traced to improperly sized or installed air conditioners.

Diagnosis:

A water leak or high humidity can lead to mold, mildew, or other biological growth. Depending on the severity, conditions can lead to rot, structural damage, premature paint failure, and a variety of health problems. Water can seep into your house from the outside through a leak in your roof, foundation, or small gaps around windows or doors. Water can also come from inside your house from a leaking water pipe, toilet, shower or bathtub. High indoor humidity caused by normal activities of everyday living such as showering, cooking, and drying clothes, can also be a source of mold, mildew or musty odors. Indoor humidity levels between 30% and 50% are ideal.

Prescription Checklist:

Where does the problem occur? Attic? Basement? Below a bathroom? Ceiling? Where the problem occurs can lead to what is causing the problem. If the problem is localized (a spot on the ceiling, wall or corner) it is possibly caused by a water leak. If the problem is in a large area like a whole wall, room or basement then it might be caused by high humidity.

Stop water leaks immediately to minimize the potential mold growth.

Reducing indoor humidity

Damp Basement

A damp basement is commonly caused by moisture migrating through the foundation. As this moisture evaporates, it increases indoor humidity and can promote the growth of mold — resulting in an uncomfortable house.

Diagnosis:

The source of your problem could be a water leak or high humidity. Both can lead to mold, mildew, or other biological growth. Depending on the severity, conditions can lead to rot, structural damage, premature paint failure, and a variety of health problems. Water can seep into your house from the outside through a leak in the foundation, or small gaps around windows or doors. Water can also come from inside your house from a leaking water pipe, toilet, shower or bathtub. High indoor humidity caused by normal activities of everyday living, such as showering, cooking, and drying clothes, can also be a source of your problem. A damp basement is commonly caused by moisture migrating through a concrete foundation. There may not be a sign of any leak or standing water, but the moisture evaporates, increasing indoor humidity. Another common cause is condensation on the cold concrete walls and floors during humid months.

Prescription Checklist:

Stop water leaks (see above)

Reducing indoor humidity (see above)

Cold Floors in Winter

Some types of floor coverings (such as wood, stone, tile, or concrete) will naturally feel cold on bare feet. However, insufficient insulation or air infiltration can also cause cold floors.

Diagnosis:

Although some types of floor coverings (e.g., wood, stone, tile, or concrete) will naturally feel cold on bare feet, insufficient insulation or air infiltration could be the cause for cold floors.

Common locations:

Prescription Checklist:

Drafty Rooms

Cold air coming into or going out of your house, especially through leaks hidden in the attic and basement, can cause rooms to feel drafty and uncomfortable.

Diagnosis:

Cold air leaking into your house around windows, doors, electrical outlets, light fixtures, and gaps in corners, can cause rooms to feel drafty and uncomfortable. As cold air is coming in through leaks, warm air is escaping through other leaks. The biggest leaks for escaping air are often found in the attic, and recessed lights are a common location.

Prescription Checklist:

Dust

Increased dust could be a sign that it is time to change your air filter or that your ductwork is not well sealed.

Diagnosis:

Dust comes from several sources and is difficult to eliminate completely. Increased dust could be a sign that it is time to change a dirty furnace or air conditioner filter or vacuum cleaner bag. Activities that produce dust (such as sanding) can also be a source an increase. Dust can also be introduced into your home through air leaks in ducts, or air infiltration through leaky doors and windows.

Prescription Checklist:

Moisture on Windows

Inefficient windows or high indoor moisture levels from air leaks can result in condensation, frost, or pools of water on windows and sills.

Diagnosis:

It is difficult to completely eliminate moisture on existing windows. Inefficient windows (e.g., single pane with aluminum frames) or high moisture with inadequate ventilation can result in condensation, frost, or pools of water on windows and sills. Moisture in the air condenses when it touches a cold surface. (The same effect causes a glass of ice tea to “sweat” on a hot humid day.) Continued excess moisture can lead to mold, mildew, and deterioration of your windows and sills.

Prescription Checklist:

To reduce humidity levels in your home:

Ice Dams

Warm air inside your home leaks into the attic and will warm the underside of the roof causing snow and ice to melt and refreeze as it runs off your roof — forming icicles and ice dams.

Diagnosis:

Ice dams usually occur after a heavy snowfall and several days of freezing temperatures. Warm air inside your home leaks into the attic and will warm the underside of the roof causing snow and ice on the roof to melt. The melted water will drain along the roof, under the snow, until it reaches the cold overhang. The overhang tends to be at the same temperature as the outdoors and the melted water will refreeze and form an ice dam and icicles. The ice dam can cause damage to the roof, which will result in water leaks to the inside. Frequently the result will be a water spot on the ceiling under the roof damage.

Prescription Checklist:

Peeling Paint

Peeling or cracking paint on your home's exterior may be a sign of a humidity problem or improper paint application.

Diagnosis:

Peeling or cracking paint, on your home’s exterior, may be a sign of a humidity problem or improper application. Peeling exterior paint is caused by moisture being absorbed through the back of wood siding and passing through to the exterior surface under the paint. The paint loses adhesion and peels off. The exterior should be vented to allow any moisture behind the siding to escape.

Prescription Checklist:

Hot or Cold Rooms

Significant differences in temperature from one room to another could be caused by several factors, including inadequate insulation, air leakage, poor duct performance, and improperly installed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Diagnosis:

Temperature differences of up to three degrees from room to room are not uncommon, but often one or several rooms are uncomfortably warm or cold. This condition could be caused by several factors within your home including inadequate insulation, air leakage, poor duct system design, duct leakage, unwanted heating by the sun in warmer months, or a failure in part of your heating and cooling system.

Common problem rooms include:

Prescription Checklist:

For best results hire a contractor who is an energy specialist to do an in-home evaluation. A good specialist will use diagnostic equipment to evaluate the performance of your home and generate a customized list of improvements.

Dry Indoor Air in Winter

Air leaks in your home allow warm humid air to escape and draw in drier colder air.

Diagnosis:

Air leaks in your home allow warm humid air to escape and draw in drier colder air. Dry indoor air can contribute to dry throat and skin and static shocks. Proper humidity levels keep furniture and your home from drying out and reduce the energy use of your heating system because you will feel warmer at a lower thermostat setting.

Prescription Checklist: