Editorial Review
Want to put and keep your house in tip-top shape, inside and out? Fix the plumbing? Add or maintain electrical fixtures? Upgrade the heat and air-conditioning for better comfort? Repair the roof and mend the exterior wall? Fix a squeaking floor? No matter the task, the more than 600 pages of this fix-it-up encyclopedia provide a wealth of knowledge and photos and drawings that show you how to do everything. Do it yourself, or use the information to judge the value and quality of professional work. Throughout, there's an emphasis on the selection of materials for particular jobs, so you can choose the best ones; on the correct operation of tools; on ways to meet any building codes. Go deep inside the workings of plumbing, including the potable water system, the hot water main, and more. Quickly figure out if you can add to an existing electrical circuit, plus how to replace circuits and repair wiring. Renovate interior walls and ceilings, install home security, improve temperature control, take a furniture workshop, and so much more!
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Customer Reviews
This is a very good book. Here are some others. 
2008-03-18
This is a very good black & white book. It covers what it covers in considerable detail, and I enjoyed just reading some parts of it for the heck of it. It might be good to check out this book at a library, in order to be sure its your cup of tea.
Generally speaking, no one book can cover all the intricacies of home improvement and construction. So it's best to try to look at the book you're thinking of buying before you purchase it. Try a bookstore or library or home inmprovement store, if possible. I have purchased the following books and found them to be very helpful to me:
Encyclopedia of Home Maintenance & Repair - This is a black & white book, but has very good explanations, especially of electrical.
New Complete Guide to Home Repair & Improvement (Better Homes & Gardens);
Do It Yourself Home Improvement: Step by Step Guide to Home Improvement;
Ultimate Guide to Home Repair & Improvement (Ultimate Guide);
Popular Mechanics When Duct Tape Just Isn't Enough: Quick Fixes for Everyday Disasters (Popular Mechanics) - This is kind of a "Hints from Heloise" for the home fix'r up'r.
Encyclopedia of Home Maintenance and Repair by Spence 2003-10-10
This work contains detailed engineering diagrams of building
foundations and components for water meter valves, valve repair
and electrical repair. The author explains how to light a
propane torch. The presentation explains how to shut off the
water flow via the main valve. Electrical tools are described
in detail; such as, the lineman plier, continuity tester, neon bulb and volt tester. Simple electronic definitions are
provided. For instance, energy flows in circuits and a load
utilize electrical current or "I". A short circuit
interrupts electrical flow. A volt tester may be utilized
to test the current. In addition, the author describes
paints; such as alkyd oil paints utilized in many popular
applications.
