Find the fault. Fix it right.

Home & appliance troubleshooting

What's broken?

Find the fault. Fix it right. Pick your exit below, or search by symptom or error code.

Guides 68
Second way in — for people who arrived with a code on the display.
Exits ahead

The most common emergencies on this site, one exit from a fix.

Exit 1 · Roofing

Roof leaking

Find the source before you patch anything

Take this exit → Roofing3
Exit 2 · Garage door

Garage door won't open

Work through six common causes in order

Take this exit → Garage door6
Exit 3 · Water heater

Water heater leaking

Where the water comes from tells you almost everything

Take this exit → Water heater4
Exit 4 · Garage door

Garage door spring broken

Not a DIY repair — keep the door closed and safe

Take this exit → Garage door6
Exit 5 · Garbage disposal

Garbage disposal not working

Start with the reset button underneath

Take this exit → Garbage disposal4
Caution ahead

Three rules we repeat on every guide. No fix is worth an ER visit.

Power off first

Shut off power or gas before opening any panel or reaching into a machine.

Spring? Call a pro

Never work on a broken garage door spring yourself — it's under dangerous tension.

Skip a wet roof

Don't climb a wet, icy, or steep roof. No repair is worth a fall.

Daniel Brooks, Home maintenance writer and appliance troubleshooting specialist

Daniel Brooks checks every guide on this site before it publishes. About the author →