Grit & Home

Remove Green Algae From Vinyl and Aluminum Siding

That green film is often algae, although in some areas it can overlap with mildew, light mold, pollen, and general biofilm grime. It loves shade, lingering moisture, and surfaces that stay damp from sprinklers, leaky gutters, or heavy tree cover. Vinyl and aluminum do not “feed” algae, but they...

Sump Pump Battery Backup Won’t Run? Troubleshooting Steps

When a battery backup sump pump will not run, it usually comes down to one of five things: the backup never gets the “turn on” signal (float or sensor issue), the battery cannot deliver power (dead or bad connection), the charger is not charging, the wiring is incorrect, or the controller has...

Wall-Mounted Range Hood Fan Not Working? Fixes to Try

If your wall-mounted range hood fan suddenly stopped, the fix is often something boring and cheap like a tripped breaker, a loose plug in the cabinet, or a grease-caked filter choking the airflow. The trick is checking things in the right order so you do not pull the hood down off the wall just to...

Ice Dams on Your Roof: Causes, Prevention, and Safe Removal

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms along the lower edge of your roof, usually at the eaves above the exterior wall. It acts like a tiny frozen curb. Snowmelt runs down the roof, hits that curb, and backs up under shingles. That backed-up water can soak roof decking, drip into insulation, stain...

Slab Leak Warning Signs

A slab leak is a leak in a water line that runs under a concrete slab foundation . In many homes, especially ranches and mid-century builds, supply lines were routed under the slab because it was fast and protected from freezing. The downside is obvious once something goes wrong: the leak is...

Whole-House Attic Fan Won’t Turn On or Runs Weakly?

Whole-house attic fans are wonderfully simple when they work and maddening when they do not. Mine has saved us real money on shoulder-season cooling, but I have also spent more than one evening standing under the grille wondering why it either refused to start or sounded like it was trying to run...

Sump Pump Runs But the Pit Stays Full of Water? Causes to Check

When a sump pump turns on and you can hear it running, it feels like the hard part is over. But if the pit stays full, you are dealing with a hydraulic problem: water is not moving out of the pit fast enough, or it is moving out and coming right back. In my own 1970s ranch, I learned this the messy...

Kitchen Breaker Keeps Tripping? Find the Culprit

If your kitchen circuit breaker keeps tripping, it is doing its job: stopping a dangerous amount of current or reacting to a fault it thinks could start a fire or shock someone. The trick is figuring out which of those problems you have without guessing, and without turning your Saturday into an...

Over-the-Range Microwave Exhaust Fan Not Working? Fixes to Try

When an over-the-range microwave exhaust fan stops doing its job, you usually notice it fast. Steam hangs in the air, your cabinets feel tacky, and the microwave might sound like it is running while barely moving any air. The good news: most fan problems come down to a handful of fixable causes,...

Washing Machine Leaves Soap Residue on Clothes? Causes and Fixes

I’ve learned the hard way that “white stuff on clothes” can mean a few different problems. The fix depends on what you’re really seeing. Use these quick checks before you start taking panels off your washer. White streaks or patches that look chalky or powdery, especially on dark clothes....

Garbage Disposal Drains Slowly? Clear It Safely

When a garbage disposal drains slowly, the disposal itself is rarely the problem. Most of the time, the restriction is downstream : in the trap under the sink, in the short horizontal run to the wall, or farther down the branch line in the wall. The trick is clearing it without cracking plastic...

Gas Fireplace Won’t Start or Keeps Going Out? Fixes to Try First

If your gas fireplace is acting up, will not start, starts and immediately quits, or runs for a bit and then goes out, you are often dealing with one of a few repeat offenders: a dirty pilot assembly, a weak thermopile or thermocouple signal, a switch or remote issue, low fuel pressure, a...

Window AC Rattling or Buzzing Loudly? Causes and Fixes

A window AC that suddenly starts rattling, buzzing, or vibrating like it’s trying to shake itself out of the window usually has a simple cause. Most of the time it’s a loose screw, a vibrating panel, or the unit sitting slightly out of level. The trick is knowing what’s safe to tighten and...

Furnace or AC Blower Fan Won’t Stop Running? Causes and Fixes

An HVAC blower that won’t shut off can feel like your house is haunted. You turn the thermostat down, the heat stops, but the fan keeps pushing air. Sometimes that is normal. Often it is your system trying to protect itself, a setting you did not realize was enabled, or a control that is stuck....

Outlet or Switch Feels Warm? What to Do Next

When an outlet or switch feels warm, your brain goes straight to worst-case scenarios. I get it. The first time I noticed a warm dimmer in our old 1970s ranch, I stood there thinking, Is this normal, or am I about to meet the fire department? Here's the deal: some warmth can be normal when a device...

Lights Dim or Flicker When the AC or Fridge Starts? What It Means

If your lights dim or flicker when the air conditioner or refrigerator kicks on, you're not imagining things. Those appliances use compressors and motors that pull a big burst of electricity for a split second at startup. Sometimes that momentary surge causes a quick brightness dip. The trick is...

Kitchen Sink Gurgles When the Dishwasher Drains? Causes and Fixes

If your kitchen sink makes that hollow glug-glug sound right when the dishwasher starts pumping out, you are not imagining things. That timing is the clue. A dishwasher dumps water fast, and when a drain line cannot move air and water together smoothly, it starts stealing air from the nearest place...

Refrigerator Water or Ice Tastes Weird? How to Fix Off Flavors

If your refrigerator water suddenly tastes like plastic, chlorine, metal, or just plain “old fridge,” you're not alone. I've chased this exact problem more than once while renovating our 1970s ranch, and it's often something simple: a new filter that wasn't flushed, a funky ice bin, or water...

Dishwasher Not Spraying Water? Causes and Fixes

If your dishwasher fills with water but the wash motor sounds like it is running and the water noise is minimal, the spray arms are not moving, or the dishes come out looking like they never got blasted, you are usually dealing with one of four problems. There may be a blockage in the spray system,...

Window Well Flooding: Divert Water and Protect Your Basement

A window well is basically a little bowl next to your foundation. When everything is working, rainwater lands near it and drains down into gravel and a drain line. When something is off, that bowl fills up and the water looks for the next easiest path, which is usually your window frame, a tiny gap...