How Your House Works: A Visual Guide to Understanding & Maintaining Your Home (How Your House Works) (How Your House Works) | 
 enlarge | Author: Charlie Wing
Publisher: R.S. Means Company
Category: Book
List Price: $21.95
Buy New: $14.26
You Save: $7.69 (35%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 9396
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 152
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 10.8 x 8.6 x 0.5
ISBN: 0876290152
Dewey Decimal Number: 643.7
EAN: 9780876290156
ASIN: 0876290152
Publication Date: June 30, 2007
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Book Description
Why is my faucet leaking, my toilet running, or my dishwasher refusing to start? Can I fix it myself? What's causing the heating system to smell bad or the foundation to crack? Do I need an air filtration system? Is the new "engineered lumber" as good as conventional wood? These are just a few examples of questions homeowners face when repairs are needed, or when a new house or addition is being planned.
There's no question that it pays to be an informed consumer. Knowledge of your home's systems helps you control repair and construction costs and make sure the correct elements are being installed or replaced.
This book uncovers the mysteries behind just about every major appliance and building element in your house. Clear, "exploded" drawings show you exactly how these things should be put together and how they function - what to check if they don't work, and what you can do that might save you having to call in a professional.
The easy-to-understand pictures and explanations on every page get right to the point, helping you understand how things work, what can go wrong, and how to trouble-shoot a problem.
Virtually everything in your house is included:
- Electrical - circuit breakers and grounding, service, outlets, lamps and fixtures.
- Heating and Air conditioning - gas, electrical and oil - ductwork and piping, thermostats, central and window AC units, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, and air filtering systems.
- Plumbing - kitchen and bath fixtures, piping, water heaters, traps and vents, septic tanks, pumps and water softener systems - even sprinkler systems and swimming pool filters/heaters.
- Major household appliances - from kitchen to laundry.
- Foundation, framing, doors and windows - including issues like drainage and radon, types of framing and how it supports the house, and all types of doors and windows.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
Great confidence builder! Great resource! Great gift! June 11, 2008
I originally checked this book out of the library; I was quite impressed with the clearly labeled drawings, the How It Works section and the Before You Call For Help sections. I then checked out the ratings by reviewers on [...]. Then I purchased several as gifts; all of them were well received. I think that this book is a great resource and confidence builder for any individual who wants to know more about the plumbing, wiring, heating/cooling, ventilation, appliances, windows/doors &/or foundation of one's dwelling. It is very visual and it is presented in clear, easy-to-understand, brief language for the layman. Yet Mr. Wing also writes for professionals in these fields. A highly recommended resource!
very usable reference April 25, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm a book geek, a connoisseur of ideas. And i'm not one of those book geeks who is also very practical or handy about the house or with home repair. This book includes a visual dictionary (label + illustration)along with its plain explanations. I'm glad I bought it.
excellent reference for many systems March 17, 2008
highly recommended. contains clear text and very detailed illustrations of the major systems of a house. i came upon this book while looking for explanations of the causes of excessive dust in a home (e.g., whether it's the contents--furnishings, linens, clothing, etc.--in a room or whether it's old walls, floors, and porous ceilings). this book doesn't answer my question, but it does offer a useful, step-by-step guide to systems like plumbing, wiring, heating/cooling, structure, and large appliances. for new homeowners or, better, folks who don't see themselves as diy'ers, this book will give you the information to do some things yourself. at the very least, you will be able to figure out where/why a system underperforms, and what to do about it. along with amy johnston's book on building and renovating a home, wing's book covers most issues. excellent resource or reference.
Engineer January 3, 2008
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
I have numerous reference books but this is the first one to actually describe to me how the device functions. The "Before calling the...(technician)" feature was a brilliant idea and a potential money saver for most homeowners.
My son-in-law teaches middle school science and will be using this book for its wonderful schematics. My other reference books are stashed away on a bookshelf - this one stays on my desk where it is good and handy!
How Your House Works: A Visual Guide to Understanding & Maintaining Your Home December 28, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
EVERY homeowner should have a copy of this invaluable resource. Particularly helpful are the "Before calling for help" sections. The book is simple and straightforward enough for anyone to understand and the diagrams are visually uncomplicated and clear. Before picking up the phone to call a professional be sure to check this wonderful resource and you just might save yourself a service call and a lot of money!
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