r/HomeMaintenance

Hey folks!

Writing to ask if you guys have any recommendations for additional steps I should take to fix the slow leak I have from my toilet tank into the bowl.

I confirmed the leak from the tank into the bowl by putting some colorant in the tank and then seeing it in the bowl a few minutes later.

I scrubbed down the relevant area to make sure the issue wasn't scale/buildup compromising the seal, replaced the flapper with the correct size, and made sure the chain is short enough to not slip under the flapper as it falls back over the hole, but I tried the colorant test once again and got the same result. The toilet is still intermittently running as well. Maybe the flapper is slightly misaligned?

Do you have any recommendations? Is there any kind of grease or something I need to put around the opening to create a better seal for the flapper? Something I can do to ensure the flapper stays appropriately aligned each time it falls back down?

Thank you in advance!

Something pretty unbelievable happened over the weekend

My neighbors recently set up one of those big above-ground pools. You know the kind you just need to assemble, fill up, and you’re good to go. They’ve got a really tall one, way bigger than I expected for a temporary one, so you can easily dive in it. Anyway, they had a few people over, and long story short, there was a lot of jumping, splashing, and the usual chaos

But the structure gave way. I didn’t even see it happen properly, I just heard this sudden rush and cracking noise, and then a wave of water basically tore through their yard fence line. It wasn’t just pool water either and it picked up a ton of dirt and debris along the way and just kept going

It ended up flooding part of our backyard first, and then somehow pushed into the house. Living room, dining room… both completely soaked. By the time I got in there it was basically a mess of mud, water, and broken flooring. Everything just… ruined in minutes

Now we can’t really live in a place like this. Floors are lifted, everything smells damp, and there’s no way around a full cleanup and probably replacement work

Insurance and the neighbors are going to cover the damage, so that part should be handled, but I’m still trying to figure out what the actual timeline looks like for something like this.

Also kind of ironic because it took me ages to finally get the living room how I wanted it… new rug, furniture, the whole setup and now it’s basically all on hold

Had a mildew smell from HVAC for 2+months. The odor is in the returns and drifts into the house. Worse in evening/overnight. Sometimes its a sour smell as well. Last night was the worst. Both returns smelled mildewy sour and even a sour smell behind the fridge, in the cabinets next to fridge, and along the floor. Could be a different source but it's the same smell that's in the returns. Did all the HVAC checking and cleaning, even have a new furnace and AC but that made the odor stronger. Dozen professionals can not find the cause or source. Plumbers seem to not know much. No one wants to do a smoke test. Any suggestions??

Just closed on my first house and I'm realizing I have absolutely no clue what I'm actually supposed to be doing to keep it in good shape. Everyone mentions changing air filters, but what else am I overlooking? What regular maintenance did you skip or not realize you needed to do that ended up being expensive later? Trying to avoid costly mistakes.

Some context: a year ago I bought a 12-year-old townhome. It's my first property, my partner's first as well. The place looked move-in ready and the inspection didn't flag anything major, came highly recommended by our realtor.

Background: the original owner was a flipper who built it in 2011. They clearly did quality work on finishes and aesthetics.

Before I dive into specific questions, I want to be upfront: I've always been interested in understanding how homes work. I'm not looking to outsource everything. I genuinely try to learn - I watch home maintenance YouTube channels, follow DIY accounts, do basic tasks myself like caulking and minor fixes, and I've realized I actually enjoy learning this stuff and feeling competent. I want to build real skills and knowledge.

That said, when something new breaks or needs attention, it often turns into a bigger issue than I'm equipped to handle. I can't safely work on electrical. I'm not a plumber. I don't have the expertise to assess or fix HVAC or structural problems. So despite my best intentions and effort, I frequently end up needing professionals almost immediately.

And we've dealt with in just the past 4 months:

• The Bosch dishwasher started leaking within the first two months. Warranty covered parts but not labor. $950 to diagnose and repair. Still not fully confident it won't leak again.
• The GE microwave stopped heating. Worked intermittently, then quit entirely. Repair tech said the magnetron failed and replacement would cost nearly as much as a new unit. Replaced it outright.
• One of the sinks developed a slow drain. Tried all the usual home remedies (baking soda, vinegar, plunger). Eventually had to call a plumber who found a partial clog deeper in the line. $500.
• The furnace started making a loud banging noise during startup. Got three quotes from HVAC companies. Ended up being a blower motor issue that needed replacement. $1,700. The furnace is only two years old.
• A bathroom exhaust fan stopped working entirely. Thought it was just the fan motor, but turns out there was an electrical issue in the wiring. Had to hire an electrician. $400.

There are smaller things too, but these are the ones that really hurt financially.

I was genuinely thrilled about homeownership and learning to maintain a house. Instead, I'm constantly out of my depth and dependent on contractors. Even when I get multiple quotes, I'm never sure if I'm making informed decisions. It's incredibly discouraging.

My friends who own homes don't seem to have repair companies showing up monthly. Am I doing something fundamentally wrong? Am I just incredibly unlucky? Is this pace of expensive repairs normal? Because right now it feels endless and honestly demoralizing.

TL;DR: Bought a well-maintained townhome a year ago and have dealt with constant expensive issues since. Despite wanting to learn and handle things myself, I'm immediately forced to hire professionals for nearly everything. Wondering if this frequency and cost is standard for first-time homeowners, or if I'm missing something critical about preventive maintenance.

What nobody told me is that the house itself becomes a full-time dependent.

The second you fix one thing, three more things break:

• the sink starts leaking,
• the AC makes a weird noise,
• there’s a mystery stain on the ceiling,
• suddenly you’re watching YouTube videos titled “Is my water heater about to explode?” at 11 PM.