05 Apr Common Home Maintenance Problems

From dust and mildew to drafty rooms and windows, there are common problems dealing with home maintenance. Learn about these common problems and solutions.

Problem: Drafty Rooms

Solution: Air sealing helps stop drafts and improves comfort and energy efficiency of your home. Plus, air sealing reduces your utility bills. Common areas for air leaks are around windows, doors, electrical outlets, light fixtures, and gaps in corners. Fortunately, certain leaks are easy to find and fix. However, certain spots, like holes hidden in attics, basements, and crawl spaces create bigger problems. A proper home energy audit examines your entire home for air leaks, along with properly seal ducts and holes. Plus, a GreenHomes America audit ensures your combustion appliances vent properly.

Problem: Rooms That Are Too Hot or Too Cold

Solution: Inadequate insulation, air leakage, poor duct system design, duct leakage or problem with your HVAC system creates inconsistent temperatures. Not only does this impact the comfort and health of your family, it increases your utility bills. In a typical house about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. As a result, consider an energy audit because an energy assessment addresses these issues. For example, a GreenHomes America Advisor uses the latest diagnostic equipment to evaluate your home and pinpoint the sources of any problems. GreenHomes America analyzes the data and generates a customized list of improvements that permanently solve any problems. Fix your air seal, duct seal, insulation, heating and cooling system or even window and door repair and replacement with solutions from GHA. Contact GreenHomes America for a comprehensive home comfort and energy assessment.

Problem: High Energy Bills

Solution: Generally, inefficient windows, heating and cooling equipment, ductwork and insulation cause high energy bills. In order to reduce your energy bills, the root cause of these inefficiencies require fixing. The best solution is a certified home energy audit. For example, a GreenHomes America audit leverages state-of-the-art tools, including a blower door and infrared camera during the energy assessment. Secondly, the audit provides a comprehensive home comfort and energy assessment to identify sources of excessive energy. As noted, these typically include air leaks in the attic, ceiling, exterior walls, windows, and doors. Additionally, audits uncover missing or insufficient insulation and leaking ductwork. At GreenHomes America we analyze the data and provide a customized solution that ensures maximum energy savings. 

Problem: Mold, Mildew, and Musty Areas

Solution: GreenHomes America finds the source of your mold and mildew problems immediately. Identifying the source of the problem indicates the cause of the problem. For example, if mold or mildew is localized (such as a spot on the ceiling, wall or corner) it is possibly caused by a water leak. Conversely, if the mold or mildew is in a large area (such as  a whole wall, room or basement) then it might be caused by high humidity. Depending on the severity, conditions can lead to rot, structural damage, premature paint failure, along with a variety of health problems. GreenHomes America minimizes potential mold growth by stopping water leaks. Plus, we ensure rooms and appliances vented properly, review and maintain humidity levels, and clean ducts and drip pans.  

Problem: Window Condensation

Solution: Inefficient windows (e.g., single pane with aluminum frames) or high moisture with inadequate ventilation result in condensation, frost, or pools of water on windows and sills. It is difficult to completely eliminate moisture on existing windows, but GreenHomes America helps reduce humidity and ensures proper airflow and venting. For example, replacing old windows with windows that exceed ENERGY STAR specifications help eliminate most condensation problems. Plus, the energy efficient windows make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.

Problem: Excessive Dust

Solution: Poor ventilation traps dust indoors and potentially creates health problems for everyone in your family. These health concerns include asthma, allergies, and cold symptoms. GreenHomes America strives to maintain and improve indoor air quality. We make sure your combustion equipment works properly and vents safely. How? Stop pollution before it enters your home through sealing air leaks and ducts. As a result, lower dust levels in your home (and less dusting as part of routine home maintenance!). Proper insulation and heating and cooling choices help prevent a variety of air quality issues.

Problem: Old Appliances

Solution: Old and inefficient appliances cause a variety of comfort, health and safety, financial and environmental problems. GreenHomes America determines if you need new, high efficiency units to replace your aging and inefficient furnace, boiler, or air conditioner. We install properly-sized units and ensure air flows correctly and evenly throughout the house. A GreenHomes America assessment tests standard combustion equipment (i.e., furnace, boiler and hot water heater) for proper balance. As a result, appliances balanced correctly produces consistent temperatures, increased comfort, reduced overheating and energy savings.

Problem: Ice Damming

Solution: GreenHomes prevents damage from ice by sealing all infiltration points (recessed lights, leaky ducts, access doors, plumbing and electrical penetrations, etc.) to and from the attic, along with properly insulating your attic. As a result, sealing these leaks keeps warm air in your house where it belongs. Together, with adequate levels of insulation, this greatly reduces the chance of ice damming and large icicles.