Don’t know who to ask? How AI can help with the little jobs around the home
Every home has a small pile of things that need sorting out but none of them are quite big enough to justify calling anyone. A symbol on the washing machine you’ve never seen before. A stain on the carpet that’s been there since the grandchildren visited. A light bulb that’s gone and you’re standing in the shop with no idea which one to buy. None of these need a tradesman. They just need someone who knows a bit more than you do and most of the time, there isn’t an obvious person to ask.
Think of AI as the person you turn to first, before the plumber or the electrician: the one who will happily answer any question, however small, at ten o’clock at night if you like.
The little jobs this covers
Here are the kinds of everyday puzzles AI can help you work through, each one described to it in plain, ordinary language. No special terms needed.
A symbol you’d like explained. Washing machines, cookers, thermostats and dishwashers are covered in small icons and AI can explain every one of them. Describe the symbol or better still take a photo of the control panel and ask what it means and what it does.
A stubborn stain. Tell it what the stain is or your best guess, what it’s on (carpet, sofa fabric, a work surface) and how long it’s been there. It will suggest what’s actually safe to try, in the right order.
Choosing the right light bulb. Bulbs now come in more fittings, wattages and colour temperatures than anyone can be expected to remember. Describe the fitting or photograph the old bulb and ask exactly what to look for on the shelf.
An instruction manual that needs translating. Manuals are often translated badly, printed too small or written for an engineer rather than a person setting up a new kettle. Photograph the page or the item itself and ask AI to explain it in plain English.
Working out what to check before calling a plumber, electrician or handyman. A surprising number of call-outs turn out to be something simple. Describe the problem and ask what’s worth checking yourself first and what actually does need a professional. That way, if you do call someone, you’re already halfway to the answer.
Building a list of jobs that need doing. Walk round the house or just think out loud and ask AI to help you turn a jumble of “oh and that thing in the hallway” into a proper, ordered list: grouped by room, by urgency or by who you’ll need to call.
Photographing something broken and asking what it might be. This is one of the simplest and most useful habits to get into. Take a clear photo of whatever’s gone wrong, such as a cracked tile, a dripping pipe joint or a strange mark on a wall and ask AI what it thinks is going on. When it isn’t certain, it will tell you and it will nearly always give you a sensible starting point.
How to ask, step by step
Where you see words in [square brackets], just swap them for your own details before you send it.
The pattern is the same whatever the job. Start plainly: “I’ve got [describe the problem] in my [room]. Can you help me work out what it is and what I should do?” If you have a photo, say so and attach it. AI can read far more from a picture than most people expect, right down to a faded label or a small crack.
Ask for the simple option first: “What’s the easiest thing to try, before anything more complicated?” If the answer comes back as a list of five things at once, it’s perfectly fine to say “Can we go through this one at a time?” It will slow down and wait for you at every step.
The holiday home washing machine that had everyone stumped
A guest staying at one of the holiday homes near us had a washing machine stop working properly, with every light on the panel flashing at once. The owners asked if I could help. There was no user manual anywhere in the house, so I took a photo of the control panel and uploaded it to ChatGPT using the plus sign in the chat box.
I explained what had happened as plainly as I could and ChatGPT talked me through it in simple steps. First, a trick using a particular combination of buttons to empty the machine of water. Then a way of resetting the machine’s own computer, which turned out to be a good old switch off and on again. It explained that the flashing lights were most likely caused by too many button combinations being pressed at once and it pointed me to a website with the full user manual, which I printed off for the guests since they didn’t use computers themselves.
No plumber and no washing machine engineer needed and the guests were back to doing their laundry within the hour.
Questions you can use word for word
“I’ve got [describe the problem]. Can you help me work out what it is?”
“What does this symbol mean?” (attach a photo if you can)
“What’s the safest way to try to get this stain out and what shouldn’t I use?”
“What should I check myself before I call a plumber/electrician/handyman?”
“Can you help me turn this into a proper list of jobs, grouped by room?”
A sensible note
AI is well suited to the everyday mysteries of home life: symbols, stains, manuals and working out what’s worth checking yourself. It’s wise to be more cautious with anything involving gas, mains electricity or structural work and a sensible AI tool will say so plainly if you describe the job honestly. When in doubt, it’s always worth asking outright: “Is this something I should try myself or do I need a professional?”
A note on dates. Everything here was checked when it was written and I go back over my posts regularly to keep them up to date. Apps, prices and rules do change, so for anything important a quick look at the official source is worth it.
Got a job around the house you’d like help with?
If you’d like to try this for real, bring a photo or describe the problem at one of my sessions and ask to be shown afterwards, one-to-one. Prefer more time and focus? Book a one-to-one coaching hour and I will work through it with you, along with anything else on your list.
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