Home Maintenance for Dummies
by James Carey, Morris Carey
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Book Reviews of Home Maintenance for Dummies
Book Review: Generally, too general
Summary: 2 Stars
This book tries to cover everything on home maintenance and ultimately fails to adequately explain in detail the things you might really use.
Take, for example, insulating an attic space. It's covered, but only very briefly. I ended up using various websites that had more detail and were more helpful when I took up that project.
There's an entire chapter on pools and spas, an entire chapter on decks, and several others that seem to be a bit more specialized. That's not a problem; the problem is that the general home stuff that almost any homeowner would need (e.g. plumming or HVAC or normal repairs) get less treatment.
I have no doubt the authors would be able to repair just about anything in most houses. But their book, supposedly for idiots, glazes over far too many normal repairs without enough detail for us idiots to actually be able to use this book.
There are some helpful tidbits in here, and if you already have a collection of DIY type home repair books, this might make a good addition. But if you're looking for a good general home repair book to help you with most normal home repair projects - this isn't it.
Book Review: This is a good overview of a home and it's systems
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this book along with two other home maintenance and repair books because I am a new homeowner and would like to be on top of my game. I also bought it because I was really concerned about how deeply technical the other two books would get and I knew this would give me a good foundation. This book is good because it breaks down a home into it's various systems and gives you a good general overview of how each of them work and what they're comprised of. The best part about this book, in my opinion, is the Home Maintenance Schedule and Checklist. It gives you a good description of what needs to be done when and you can refer to the book for instruction if necessary. I imagine this book will be instrumental in keeping my home in great condition through the years.Book Review: Excellent source for "the rest of us"
Summary: 5 Stars
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!
Book Review: Home Maintenance for Dummies
Summary: 5 Stars
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.Book Review: I think I must be too dumb.
Summary: 3 Stars
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.