When something in your Richmond rental stops working, starts leaking, loses power, makes an unusual noise, or otherwise changes, start here.
The PMI James River troubleshooting library is organized around 10 problem areas. Choose the family that best matches what you are seeing, then use the linked guide to work through the safe first checks for that problem. Larger families have their own start page, while the others take you directly to the individual problem guides.
Key Takeaways
- Start with the symptom you can see, hear, smell, or observe.
- Use the specific troubleshooting guide for the problem rather than unrelated repair instructions.
- If there is immediate danger or active major property damage, stop ordinary troubleshooting and use the emergency process.
- If reasonable troubleshooting does not resolve the problem, submit a maintenance request with the useful details from the guide.
In This Guide
Before You Troubleshoot
If there is immediate danger, an active life-safety issue, or major property damage occurring now, use our rental emergency quick-reference before working through ordinary troubleshooting.
If the issue is important but you are not sure whether it is an emergency, urgent, or routine maintenance problem, use our Emergency vs. Urgent vs. Routine Maintenance guide. The Resident Maintenance hub contains PMI James River's broader maintenance-request and emergency procedures.
Find Your Problem
Choose the problem area that most closely matches what is happening. If the symptom belongs somewhere else, the individual guide will route you to the better destination.
Heating & Cooling
Start here when the problem involves air conditioning, heat, the thermostat, airflow, vents, returns, or HVAC filters.
- AC not working or not cooling properly
- Heat not working or not warming the home
- Thermostat problems
- Weak HVAC airflow, filter, vent, or return problems
Plumbing & Water
Toilets, clogged drains, sewer backups, leaks, shutoffs, low water pressure, hot-water problems, high water bills, and frozen pipes are organized together in the Plumbing & Water Problems guide. Start there and choose the plumbing symptom that matches what is happening.
Electrical & Power
Use these guides for lost power, dead outlets, GFCIs, breakers, switches, lights, fans, and electrical warning signs.
- No power or partial power
- Outlet and GFCI problems
- Circuit breaker and fuse problems
- Light, switch, ceiling fan, and exhaust fan problems
- Sparks, burning smells, hot outlets, shocks, and other electrical warning signs
Appliances
Choose the supplied appliance that is not working normally.
- Garbage disposal problems
- Dishwasher problems
- Refrigerator and freezer problems
- Washer problems
- Dryer problems
- Oven, range, and cooktop problems
- Microwave problems
Smoke, CO & Gas Safety
Alarm maintenance problems and active life-safety warnings follow different paths. Choose the condition that matches what is happening.
- Smoke alarm problems, chirps, testing, and nuisance alarms
- Carbon monoxide alarm problems
- Gas smell or suspected gas leak
Moisture, Mold & Indoor Air
Condensation, high humidity, ventilation concerns, mildew, mold, and musty odors are organized in the Moisture, Mold & Indoor Air Problems guide. It will route you to the focused guide that matches what you are seeing.
Pests & Wildlife
For ants, cockroaches, mice or rats, bed bugs, common household pests, wildlife, or stinging-insect concerns, start with our Pest Control in Richmond Rentals guide. It separates common first steps from pest problems that need to be reported.
Doors, Windows & Garage
Locks, keys, smart locks, doors, windows, garage doors, openers, doorbells, and related access problems are organized in the Doors, Windows & Garage troubleshooting guide.
Exterior & Grounds
Use these guides for problems affecting the roof, exterior walls, drainage, irrigation, trees, outdoor structures, driveways, or walkways.
- Roof and ceiling leak problems
- Gutters, downspouts, and exterior water entry
- Yard drainage, erosion, and standing water
- Irrigation problems
- Tree and fallen limb problems
- Deck, porch, fence, gate, and exterior structure problems
- Driveway, walkway, and exterior trip hazards
- Siding and exterior wall problems
Interior & Structural Problems
Use these guides for walls, ceilings, flooring, stairs, railings, cabinets, fixtures, and possible structural movement.
- Wall, ceiling, and interior finish problems
- Flooring and carpet problems
- Stairs, handrails, and railings
- Cabinets, counters, and interior fixtures
- Structural and foundation warning signs
More Resident Maintenance Resources
Troubleshooting is only one part of the broader PMI James River Resident Maintenance library. These other lanes cover routine care, maintenance-process questions, seasonal preparation, and property-specific equipment.
- Systems Care: For routine cleaning, filters, accessible batteries, simple setup, and other low-risk care while equipment is working normally, use Systems Care for Richmond Renters.
- Maintenance Education: Use Emergency vs. Urgent vs. Routine Maintenance for the broader maintenance-classification and reporting process.
- Seasonal Maintenance: Use the year-round Seasonal Maintenance guide for Richmond renters for weather preparation, recurring checks, and seasonal home care.
- Special Systems: Some rentals have property-specific equipment such as private wells, septic systems, sump pumps, water-treatment equipment, fireplaces, pools or spas, whole-house humidity equipment, or supplied portable or window air conditioners. These systems use a separate property-specific maintenance path rather than forming another troubleshooting family. Use Special Systems in Richmond Rentals to find the guide for the equipment installed at your property.
If the Problem Continues
If reasonable troubleshooting does not resolve the issue, the problem returns or continues, or you cannot proceed safely, submit a maintenance request through the PMI James River resident portal.
Include the location of the problem, what it is doing now, when you first noticed it, any useful photos or short video, visible error codes or messages, and what happened when you tried the safe steps in the applicable guide.
For broader maintenance procedures, emergency information, routine care, and resident maintenance resources, return to the PMI James River Resident Maintenance hub.
Published: August 31, 2026
Updated: September 2, 2026
