01 / THE WALL
A fresh coat fixes a damp wall
A clean coat of paint can make a wall look finished while the water behind it is still there. The new finish says nothing about whether a leak or other source has been fixed.
Paint changes the finish, not the cause.
WHAT THE SOURCE SAYS
EPA's mold cleanup page says to “fix plumbing leaks and other water problems as soon as possible” and to dry items completely. On paint it is direct: “Do not paint or caulk moldy surfaces. Clean up the mold and dry the surfaces before painting. Paint applied over moldy surfaces is likely to peel.”
Next step: Find and fix the water source first, clean up any mold, then let the surface dry before anyone repaints.
EPA — Mold Cleanup in Your Home ↗02 / THE FAN
A fan cools an empty room
A running fan makes a room feel cooler to the people in it, so it is easy to assume it is cooling the room itself. With nobody there, it has no one to cool.
Fans cool people, not rooms.
WHAT THE SOURCE SAYS
In a summer energy-saving list dated June 8, 2012, DOE says that if you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan lets you raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort, and to turn it off when you leave the room: “fans cool people, not rooms.”
Next step: Switch the fan off when you leave the room, and treat it as comfort for the people in it rather than cooling for the house.
DOE — Top 11 Things You Didn't Know About Saving Energy at Home: Summer Edition (June 8, 2012) ↗03 / THE HOT ROOM
One hot room means the AC is broken
When one bedroom runs warm, the air conditioner is the obvious suspect. A single warm room doesn't, on its own, show which part of the house is responsible.
One warm room is a clue, not a verdict.
WHAT THE SOURCE SAYS
ENERGY STAR's chart lists “hot and cold rooms; uneven temperature between rooms” as a common problem in three places: the attic, the basement or crawlspace, and the ducts, with insulation levels, air leaks and duct cracks, kinks or loose supply boots to look for. The same page warns that, in some situations, sealing a home or its ductwork can cause combustion appliances like water heaters to backdraft, creating unsafe conditions inside the home.
Next step: Before blaming the equipment, see HOMEFRONT's guide to a bedroom that feels hotter than the rest of the house.
One bedroom feels hotter: compare the rooms clearly →ENERGY STAR — Identify the Problems You Want to Fix ↗