How Your House Works. A Visual Guide to Understanding & Maintaining Your Home How Your House Works How Your House Works

Editorial Review
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

very usable reference

2008-04-25
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

2008-03-17
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

2008-01-03
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

2007-12-28
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!

SWEET

2007-12-28
I surprised my husband with this book for Christmas. He was stoked. It was sent to me in plenty of time before Christmas. It will be so helpful to us in finishing our basement!

Best book available on this topic!

2007-12-22
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.

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.

This book pays for itself!

2007-10-12
What a great book! The fantastic detailed color illustrations are clearer than looking at the object itself. The very first day I had the book, I was able to repair a broken flush handle on my toilet. In my area a plumber charges $100 just to come to the house, so the book has already paid for itself four times. I'm giving the book as Christmas presents to all of my homeowning friends.