Home Maintenance for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat helpful, yet still disappointing
Review: Having purchased my first house last year, I thought this book would be great with dealing with the problems that arise when living in a house. I'm very disappointed with it though.

Some examples:
It has a whole section on plumbing fixtures, going in to detail about how to clean a faucet. But it doesn't mention a word about how to deal with a dripping faucet! I'd think this would be a pretty basic thing to add to a book... you can't expect that people buying this book would automatically know how to replace a washer.

It goes into detail about fireplaces and how to maintain a fireplace. Except it fails to mention gas fireplaces at all. As far as the book is concerned, they don't even exist. Am I supposed to clean it the same way as a normal fireplace? Do I have to worry about cleaning the chimney if its a vented fireplace? What yearly maintainance and safety precautions must I consider? Help me out a bit here people...

Yet the book seems to have plenty of time to go over landscape irrigation and swimming pool maintainance, which, although perhaps useful, seem to be more appropriate in one of their other books; e.g. "Landscaping for Dummies".

Overall, the book could be considered "a good start". But given what the book is lacking, I think most customers would be better off borrowing it from the library for free...

Rating:
Summary: I think I must be too dumb.
Review: The authors assume way too much reader knowledge for this to be a true guide for dummies. Also, the For Dummies format does not allow for much illustration. So a lot of what they describe goes way over my head. It does help me understand what I need to say when I call a pro. That's actually a big help for one as home-maintenance-challenged as I. Don Aslett's excellent books are more my speed, though he does tend to write the same book over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: Exactly What I Wanted
Review: The brothers Carey hit the nail on the head (no pun intended). Clear suggestions and illustrations and a maintenance schedule to try to aspire to.

Rating:
Summary: Very helpful indeed
Review: The chapters are organized by area of the house (outside, inside, appliances, etc.) and really pack a good amount of advice and tips in each. As another reviewer said, there are recipes for your own cleaning solutions (deck cleaners, floor cleaners) that work really well (our deck was in rough shape). The maintenance schedule in the back is also handy. This was our first home and having this book was such a help. I've read it and keep referring to it!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent source for "the rest of us"
Review: This is a GREAT book for first-time buyers or for people who never learned what should be done to your home to keep it in good shape.

The book is well organized and has two main sections, indoor maintenance and outdoor maintenance. The book also includes nice graphical guides for those of us (me!) that need more than your basic instructions. Another great feature of the book are montly to-do's, to keep you on track throughout the year.

However, by far, the best thing about the book is it has saved me money! There are things outlined in the book that I thought I would have to pay someone to do, but realized how simple they really were and was able to do them myself!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent source for "the rest of us"
Review: This is a GREAT book for first-time buyers or for people who never learned what should be done to your home to keep it in good shape.

The book is well organized and has two main sections, indoor maintenance and outdoor maintenance. The book also includes nice graphical guides for those of us (me!) that need more than your basic instructions. Another great feature of the book are montly to-do's, to keep you on track throughout the year.

However, by far, the best thing about the book is it has saved me money! There are things outlined in the book that I thought I would have to pay someone to do, but realized how simple they really were and was able to do them myself!

Rating:
Summary: Exactly What I Wanted
Review: WOW! Who knew all the maintenance a house needs? The cleaning solution recipes are great, safe, and really do the best job. I have been slowly implementing a home maintenance program based solely on this book. It is easy to read and understand. Whether you are a novice or expert in taking care of your home and its appliances, you will learn alot from this book. It is not just about proper cleaning. It is about keeping your house and appliances looking their best and in working order for as long as possible. I give this book as a housewarming gift to all my friends who own a home.

Rating:
Summary: Home Maintenance for Dummies
Review: WOW! Who knew all the maintenance a house needs? The cleaning solution recipes are great, safe, and really do the best job. I have been slowly implementing a home maintenance program based solely on this book. It is easy to read and understand. Whether you are a novice or expert in taking care of your home and its appliances, you will learn alot from this book. It is not just about proper cleaning. It is about keeping your house and appliances looking their best and in working order for as long as possible. I give this book as a housewarming gift to all my friends who own a home.