Home Maintenance For Dummies, 2nd Edition Read online

  Home Maintenance For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

  Table of Contents

  Introduction

  About This Book

  Conventions Used in This Book

  What You’re Not to Read

  Foolish Assumptions

  How This Book Is Organized

  Part I: Home Maintenance and You

  Part II: The Energy Envelope

  Part III: Key Systems: Plumbing and HVAC

  Part IV: Inside Home Sweet Home

  Part V: Out in the Great Wide Open

  Part VI: The Part of Tens

  Icons Used in This Book

  Where to Go from Here

  Part I: Home Maintenance and You

  Chapter 1: Home Maintenance: What It Is and Why It Matters

  Keeping Up with Upkeep

  From little to big

  From inside to outside

  Benefiting from a Little TLC

  To your health (and safety)

  Comfort: You’ll miss it if it’s gone

  Money in the bank

  Let the Games Begin!

  Chapter 2: Getting to Know Your House and Its Systems

  The Exterior: It’s Nice to Fool Mother Nature

  Your home’s infrastructure: The foundation and floor frame

  Roofing and siding: Your home’s protective coat

  Windows, exterior doors, and insulation

  Walkways, patios, and driveways

  Decks

  Fences

  Retaining walls

  Ornamental iron

  The Interior: Your Home’s Insides

  The plumbing system

  The heating, cooling, and ventilating systems

  Interior walls and ceilings

  Floors and interior doors

  Cabinets and countertops

  Appliances

  Fireplaces: Traditional and gas

  Your home-safety systems

  Chapter 3: Putting Together Your Home Maintenance Plan

  Your What-to-Tackle List

  Musts: Safety and health

  Shoulds: Reducing costs and preventing problems

  Coulds: Improving appearance and function

  Making your maintenance plan

  Your Home-Maintenance Schedule

  Things to do annually

  Things to do seasonally

  Things to do monthly

  Shutting-down checklist

  Other periodic maintenance tasks

  Paying Attention to Safety

  Your clothing and safety gear

  Your work habits

  Do It Yourself or Hire a Pro? The $64,000 Question

  Finding a pro

  Getting a quote

  Selecting a pro

  Part II: The Energy Envelope

  Chapter 4: Foundation and Floor Frame Fundamentals

  Focusing on the Foundation

  Types of foundations: Slabs, basements, and crawlspaces

  Foundation materials

  Fixing Common Foundation Problems

  Is there a fungus among us? Dealing with efflorescence

  Being wise about cracks

  Preventing moisture under your home

  Tackling spalling and disintegration

  Not settling for settling

  Keeping Your Basement Dry

  Basement water collection systems: The sump pump

  What to do when it floods

  The Floor Frame

  Floors that go bump in the night

  Getting on the level with your floors

  Chapter 5: Roofing and Siding

  Your Roof: The Fifth Wall of Your Home

  Staying safe on the roof

  Cleanliness is next to godliness

  Replacing an asphalt shingle

  Preserving a wood-shake or shingle roof

  The naked truth about flashing

  Dealing with all that dam ice

  Finding a roof leak

  Getting Your Mind into the Gutter

  Cleaning gutters and downspouts

  Patching up leaks

  Maintaining gutter-protection systems

  Siding: A Raincoat to Keep You Dry

  Aluminum siding

  Vinyl siding

  Stucco

  Wood siding

  Chapter 6: Windows, Exterior Doors, and Insulation

  Saving Energy with Insulation

  Looking at different types of insulation

  Getting the lowdown on insulation materials

  Understanding R values

  Adding insulation all over your house

  Controlling air leaks in your ceilings, walls, and floors

  Windows: See the Light, Feel the Cold

  Dealing with water and air leaks

  Preventing condensation

  Maintaining storm windows

  Maintaining screens

  Buying new windows

  Installing windows

  Getting In and Out: Maintaining Exterior Doors

  Fixing leaks between the threshold and door bottom

  Stopping air leaks with weatherstripping and sealant

  Caring for wood and painting

  Showing some love to your sliding glass doors

  Part III: Key Systems: Plumbing and HVAC

  Chapter 7: Plumbing, Part I: Pipes, Water Heaters, Water Softeners, and More

  Thar She Blows! Turning Off Your Water Main

  Replacing a Damaged Section of Pipe

  Copper pipe

  Threaded pipe

  Protecting Pipes in Frigid Weather

  An ounce of prevention

  Quick fixes for burst pipes

  Quieting Noisy Water Pipes

  Combating water hammers with air chambers

  Tightening loose mounting straps

  Adjusting too-high water pressure

  Some Like It Hot: Your Water Heater

  Maintaining your water heater

  If you have a gas water heater

  If you have an electric water heater

  Caring for your tankless water heater

  Softening Your Water

  Wishing Your Well Is Working Well

  Chapter 8: Plumbing, Part II: Fixtures

  Maintaining Fixture Surfaces: Stainless Steel, Cast Iron, Fiberglass, and More

  Stainless-steel fixtures

  Porcelain-on-steel and porcelain-on-cast-iron fixtures

  Fiberglass fixtures

  Composite fixtures

  Vitreous china fixtures

  Cleaning Your Faucet Works

  Cleaning the aerator

  Cleaning and polishing the outside of a faucet

  Removing copper residue

  Toilet Training 101

  Cleaning the toilet

  Unclogging plugged toilets

  Preventing a sweaty tank

  Looking for leaks in and around the toilet

  Maintaining Tubs and Showers

  Keeping your tubs and showers clean

  Re-caulking

  Avoiding overflow leaks

  Chapter 9: Plumbing, Part III: Sewer and Septic Systems

  Sewer-System Basics

  Keeping Your System Clog-Free

  Being careful what you put down the drain

  Preventive pipe cleaning

  A word about commercial drain cleaners

  Unclogging the Waste Lines

  Keeping Vents Free from Debris

  Getting rid of blockages

  Putting preventive measures in place

  Avoiding Problems with P-Traps

  Your Sewer System’s Fall

  Maintaining Your Septic System

  Being care
ful about what goes in

  Cleaning and pumping your septic tank

  Chapter 10: Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems

  Making Friends with the Monster: Your Furnace

  Taking care of a forced-air system

  Hot-water systems

  Steam systems

  Electric systems

  Ventilation: Letting Your House Breathe

  Interior ventilation

  Structural ventilation

  Big or Small, an Air Conditioner Cools Y’all

  Central air-conditioning systems

  Window air-conditioner units

  Part IV: Inside Home Sweet Home

  Chapter 11: Walls and Ceilings

  Cleaning Walls and Ceilings

  Dealing with Drywall

  Repairing small cracks

  Filling bigger cracks

  Filling holes like a pro

  Tackling truss uplift

  Putting the stop on nail pops

  Plaster: More Trouble than You May Want

  Fixing small cracks and holes

  Dealing with sagging and other big problems

  Interior Painting: Doing the Job Right

  Preparing to paint

  Gathering your paint and painting supplies

  Painting made easy

  Cleaning up right, storing smart

  Making Paneling Look like New

  Cleaning and oiling paneling

  Correcting surface imperfections

  Wondering about Wallpaper

  Removing wallpaper

  Fixing loose seams and clean tears

  Patching wallpaper

  Chapter 12: Floors and Interior Doors

  What’s Underfoot? Flooring

  Vanquishing vinyl trouble

  Laminate love

  Ceramic tile a go-go

  Wild things: Bamboo

  Engineered hardwood

  Keeping natural hardwood good

  Keeping carpet clean

  Interior Doors

  Common door-maintenance tasks

  Special tasks for different types of doors

  Knobs, locks, and latches (oh my!)

  Chapter 13: Cabinets and Countertops

  Keeping Cabinets Looking Great: Cleaning Know-How

  Cleaning wood cabinets

  Cleaning painted wood, metal, laminate, or vinyl-covered cabinets

  Something Old Is Something New: Refinishing Your Cabinets

  Getting your cabinets ready for refinishing

  Painting or varnishing . . . at last!

  Maintaining Your Cabinets

  Making Your Lovely Laminate Last

  Cleaning and caring for your laminate

  Bursting bubbles

  Hiding chips, cuts, and scratches

  Caring for Super Solid Surfaces

  Keeping Your Tile Terrific

  Sealing out grout grunge

  Cleaning grubby grout

  Staining grubby grout

  Replacing grout

  Replacing a broken tile

  Protecting Marvelous Marble

  Caring for Granite

  Taking Care of Wonderful Wood Chopping Blocks

  Chapter 14: Appliances

  Safety First

  Gas appliances

  Electric appliances

  Caring for the Cooktop

  Cleaning up the cooking crud

  Maintaining your electric range and cooktop

  Keeping your gas range and cooktop in tip-top shape

  Opening the Door and Rolling Up Your Sleeves: The Oven

  Cleaning your oven

  Checking the oven temperature control

  Replacing the oven light

  Hanging Out in the Range Hood

  Microwave Maintenance Mania

  Dishwashers

  Refrigerators and Freezers

  Taking care of the condenser coils

  Cleaning the gasket

  Keeping the interior clean and fresh-smelling

  Defrosting the freezer and drain line

  Maintaining inline water filtration

  Washing Machines and Dryers

  Cleaning your washing machine

  Keeping your dryer’s lint traps lint free

  Taking care of the dryer vent

  Keeping the dryer duct free from obstruction

  Mysterious dryer death: Knowing what to do

  Chapter 15: Don’t Get Burned: Fireplaces

  Having Your Fireplace Inspected and Swept Regularly

  Staying on Top of Fireplace Cracks

  Dealing with the Damper

  Caring for the Outside of Your Chimney

  Taking care of the flashing and flue pipe

  Sealing the deal

  Arresting sparks and other hazards

  Cleaning a Soot-Covered Brick Fireplace Face

  Making the Most out of Glass Doors and Screens

  Cleaning glass fireplace doors

  Giving sluggish glass doors a pick-me-up

  Screening out difficulties

  Chapter 16: Maintaining Your Home-Safety Systems

  Preventing and Dealing with Household Fires

  Smoke detectors

  Fire extinguishers

  Preventing Carbon-Monoxide Poisoning

  Maintaining your carbon-monoxide detector

  Paying attention to sources of carbon monoxide

  Keeping Your Natural-Gas Line Safe

  Shining a Light on Electrical Safety

  Maintaining Your Burglar Alarm

  Testing the Safety Mechanisms in Your Automatic Garage-Door Opener

  Guarding Your Home against Natural Disasters

  When disaster is upon you

  Putting things back together

  Part V: Out in the Great Wide Open

  Chapter 17: Walkways, Patios, and Driveways

  Cementing Your Relationship with Concrete

  Cleaning off grease and oil stains

  Cleaning up mildew: No slip slidin’ away

  Patching cracks

  Sealing concrete

  Painting your concrete

  Staining your concrete — intentionally

  Repairing concrete steps

  Getting Things on an Even Keel

  Leveling settled brick patios and walkways

  Leveling and resetting stone paths

  Recoating an asphalt driveway

  For the Love of Masonry

  Dealing with stress cracks

  Cleaning your masonry

  Applying a sealer

  Chapter 18: Decks, Fences, and Retaining Walls

  Preserving Wood

  Paint

  Preservative

  Stain

  Clear finish

  Cleaning Your Wood and Composite-Wood Structures

  Power-washing

  Using a wood brightener

  Giving wood a facelift with sanding

  Tightening Loose Rails, Fence Boards, and Fence Posts

  Remedying Sagging Gates

  Termite Treachery: Protecting Your Wood against Critters

  Extending the Life of a Wood Retaining Wall

  Chapter 19: And Then There Was Rust

  Shielding Your Metals with a Protective Coat

  Choosing your primer and topcoat

  Applying the paint

  Stripping Off Rust

  Step 1: Removing rusted fasteners

  Step 2: Getting rid of the rust

  Step 3: Repairing damage to the surface

  When All Else Fails: Converting Rust

  Part VI: The Part of Tens

  Chapter 20: Ten Cleaning Solutions You Can Make at Home

  All-Purpose, Handy-Dandy Cleaner

  DIY Cleanser Scrub

  Gentle Glass Cleaner

  People-Friendly Oven Cleaner

  Super-Duper Disinfectant Cleaner

  Super Wood Cleaner

  Soda-Pop Concrete Stain Remover

  Easy All-Surface Mildew Remover

  Special Drain
Freshener and Cleaner

  Universal Roof-Cleaning Formula

  Chapter 21: Ten Maintenance Skills You Need

  Caulking

  Knowing How (And What) to Lubricate

  Recognizing and Testing for Problems

  Choosing the Right Tool for the Job

  Testing an Electrical Circuit

  Painting

  Knowing How to Shut Things Off

  Venting Moisture from Your Home

  Replacing Filters and Cleaning Sensors

  Checking On the Chimney

  Home Maintenance For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

  by James Carey and Morris Carey

  Home Maintenance For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

  Published by

  Wiley Publishing, Inc.

  111 River St.

  Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

  www.wiley.com

  Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

  Published simultaneously in Canada

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