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Appliances and household systems — what actually blocks, leaks or stops working, and in what order to check.

6 guides

Why Won't My Washing Machine Drain?

Almost always a blockage — and usually in the one place with a door on it.

Cold oven but working grill, or slow and never quite right — two different faults with two different answers.

Freezer cold but fridge warm is one fault, not two — and rarely the refrigerant.

It tumbles but stays cold — and the blocked vent that causes most of it is also a fire risk.

A blocked path, not a dead pump — and the one cause that only appears after a new disposal.

Most dead boilers are refusing to fire, not broken — and three of the reasons cost nothing to fix.

What these guides cover: Appliances and household systems, limited to the parts the manufacturer expects an owner to reach — filters, hoses, vents, traps, controls and settings.
Where we stop: We do not cover gas work, opening sealed refrigerant circuits, or anything behind a panel the manual tells you not to remove. In many countries that work is a criminal offence without registration.
Safety line: A smell of gas or a carbon monoxide alarm means leave the building and call the emergency number from outside, before reading anything else. Lint, blocked flues and standing water near mains circuits are treated as hazards, not inconveniences.
What we check against: Health and Safety Executive (UK), National Fire Protection Association, and manufacturer installation instructions.