A hands-on, step-by-step guide to properly maintaining your home
Your home requires regular maintenance to operate safely and efficiently. The expert advice in this second edition of Home Maintenance For Dummies can help you save literally thousands of dollars each year by showing you how to perform home maintenance yourself!
This new edition provides the latest tips on how to tune up your home and make repairs to every room of the house, from basement to attic. By combining step-by-step instructions and expert information, this practical guide gives you the skills to tackle everything from furnace tune-ups to leaky roofs. You'll also learn how to conduct routine inspections, keep major appliances running efficiently, and increase energy efficiency.
Shows how to keep your home in tip-top shape, preserve its value, and avoid costly repairs Covers all rooms of the house, in addition to the roof, foundation, and exterior Explains how to keep all home systems and major appliances running smoothly Includes a seasonal maintenance schedule Provides the latest green maintenance options to help lower your utility bills
James Carey and Morris Carey have a radio show, a newspaper column, and a Web site, all called On the House, and appear regularly on CBS News Saturday Morning. They are also the authors of Home Remodeling For Dummies
If you've always wanted to tackle home repairs like a pro, Home Maintenance For Dummies, 2nd Edition is your ideal resource!
By:
James Carey,
Morris Carey
Imprint: For Dummies
Country of Publication: United States
Edition: 2nd edition
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 183mm,
Spine: 28mm
Weight: 567g
ISBN: 9780470430637
ISBN 10: 047043063X
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 09 October 2009
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Replaced By: 9781394241071
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction 1 Part I: Home Maintenance and You 7 Chapter 1: Home Maintenance: What It Is and Why It Matters 9 Chapter 2: Getting to Know Your House and Its Systems 17 Chapter 3: Putting Together Your Home Maintenance Plan 31 Part II: The Energy Envelope 49 Chapter 4: Foundation and Floor Frame Fundamentals 51 Chapter 5: Roofing and Siding 77 Chapter 6: Windows, Exterior Doors, and Insulation 99 Part III: Key Systems: Plumbing and HVAC 123 Chapter 7: Plumbing, Part I: Pipes, Water Heaters, Water Softeners, and More 125 Chapter 8: Plumbing, Part II: Fixtures 149 Chapter 9: Plumbing, Part III: Sewer and Septic Systems 171 Chapter 10: Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems 185 Part IV: Inside Home Sweet Home 207 Chapter 11: Walls and Ceilings 209 Chapter 12: Floors and Interior Doors 229 Chapter 13: Cabinets and Countertops 249 Chapter 14: Appliances 267 Chapter 15: Don’t Get Burned: Fireplaces 287 Chapter 16: Maintaining Your Home-Safety Systems 299 Part V: Out in the Great Wide Open 313 Chapter 17: Walkways, Patios, and Driveways 315 Chapter 18: Decks, Fences, and Retaining Walls 335 Chapter 19: And Then There Was Rust 347 Part VI: The Part of Tens 355 Chapter 20: Ten Cleaning Solutions You Can Make at Home 357 Chapter 21: Ten Maintenance Skills You Need 363 Index 371
James Carey and Morris Carey Jr. share their 55+ years of experience as award-winning, licensed contractors with millions of people nationwide through a weekly radio program and syndicated newspaper column, both titled On The House. They also appear regularly on CBS News Saturday Morning.