Synopses & Reviews
Tips on safety and the right tools and materials
Fix everything from A to Z without breaking the bank!
Want to tackle your own home repairs? This clear, hands-on guide shows you how to take on repairs yourself with plenty of step-by-step instructions. From working on walls, floors, and doors to conquering heating, electric, and plumbing repairs, you'll see how to fix what goes wrong in your home and identify the projects the pros should handle.
Discover how to
- Patch your walls and floors
- Stop pipe and faucet leaks
- Repair your furniture
- Keep your appliances in top shape
- Work on your home's exterior
Synopsis
The fun and easy way to repair anything and everything around the house
For anyone who's ever been frustrated by repair shop rip-offs, this guide shows how to troubleshoot and fix a wide range of household appliances-lamps, vacuum cleaners, washers, dryers, dishwashers, garbage disposals, blenders, radios, televisions, and even computers. Packed with step-by-step illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions, it's a must-have money-saver for the half of all homeowners who undertake do-it-yourself projects.
Synopsis
If I had a hammer: The fun and easy way for do-it-yourselfers to repair home appliances and furniture
For anyone who's ever been frustrated by a repair shop rip-off or just wanted to join thousands of others in the DIY craze, How to Fix Everything For Dummies is a no-nonsense guide showing you how to troubleshoot and fix a wide range of furniture (with wobbly legs, for example) and household appliances -- vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, garbage disposals, toasters, blenders, radios, televisions, and even computers and printers.
Packed with step-by-step illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions, it's a must-have money-saver for the half of all homeowners who undertake Do-It-Yourself (DIY) home projects. This hands-on, DIY manual shows you not only how to fix faulty appliances but also tend to all those irritating repairs that cost more to have someone else fix than the item is worth. How to Fix Everything For Dummies is for you if you
Are a homeowner or an apartment dweller
Want to fix things around the house but aren't sure where to start
Have some experience but need guidance on tackling more and larger repairs
May be frustrated about throwing things away because you don't know where to go to repair them
Don't want to pay for service calls when the problem is minor
Featuring clear, concise directions, How to Fix Everything For Dummies also covers the proper tools and materials to get the job done correctly without breaking the bank and important safety measures to take so you don't hurt yourself. You'll learn how to
Fix creaky stairs
Patch basement floors
Restore damaged carpets
Correct drywall and repair plaster walls
Fix door and cabinet hardware problems
Rewire fixtures
Get doorbells to work
Fix garage door openers
Unclog drains and fix leaky pipes
Mend wooden fences and decks
Repair minor cracks in the concrete driveway or pool
And a whole lot more
Additionally, this friendly guide is written in plain English and includes a list of home repairs you should not take on yourself but should leave for the professionals and tips on how to hire one. Grab your copy of How to Fix Everything For Dummies, grab your screwdriver and wrench, and get to work
About the Author
Do-it-yourself experts
Gary and Peg Hedstrom extensively remodeled six houses and built two from scratch, doing all the work themselves. A retired diesel mechanic, Gary describes himself as a jack-of-all-trades who’s happiest taking things apart to see how they’re built and putting them back together. He hates sitting still and willingly shares his knowledge with others so they can fix things themselves. Peg liked to get her hands “dirty,” as she puts it, fixing appliances and discarded televisions long before she met Gary. So she willingly tackled everything else once she and Gary started working on homes. Her favorite pastime, however, is restoring wood and old, damaged furniture, as well as doing the finishing touches in a home. Lifelong Michigan residents, the couple has homes in Grand Rapids and Florida.
Judy Ondrla Tremore, a veteran reporter and business writer, wrote two books and co-authored another before writing How to Fix Everything For Dummies. Her articles and stories have appeared in The Grand Rapids Press, Cadence (where she was managing editor), Legal Assistant Today, Grand Rapids Business Journal, Grand Rapids Magazine, Cosmopolitan Home, Our Children, Applause, and several other Michigan and Illinois publications. She was the Grand Rapids editor of Metropolitan Woman. Among her favorite articles were those pertaining to home improvement and design and restoration projects, because they dovetail with her deep interest in architecture and homes. She grew up in the Chicago area and has lived in Michigan for more than 30 years.
Table of Contents
Introduction.
Part I: Gearing Up to Fix Everything.
Chapter 1: If Your Broken Stuff Needs Repair.
Chapter 2: Tackling Basic Tools and Equipment.
Part II: Repairing Your Home’s Interior.
Chapter 3: Taking the Creaks, Cracks, and Holes Out of Floors, Stairs, and Basements.
Chapter 4: Conquering Door and Window Headaches.
Chapter 5: Closing In on Walls and Ceilings.
Chapter 6: Tending to Cabinet, Closet, and Countertop Glitches.
Part III: Conquering Simple Electrical, Air, and Plumbing Repairs.
Chapter 7: Don’t Blow Your Fuse: Minor Electrical Repairs.
Chapter 8: Handling Your Heating, Cooling, and Air Quality Systems.
Chapter 9: Sailing Through the Waterworks: Plumbing Repairs.
Part IV: Keeping Your Stuff in Good Shape.
Chapter 10: Looming Large Over Major Appliances.
Chapter 11: Getting Small Appliances to Work.
Chapter 12: Fine-Tuning Communication Equipment.
Chapter 13: Rescuing Your Favorite Furnishings.
Part V: Working Outside Your House.
Chapter 14: Sprucing Up Your Home’s Exterior.
Chapter 15: Improving Your Outdoor Leisure Areas.
Chapter 16: Repairing, Patching, and Sealing Concrete and Asphalt.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 17: Ten Repairs You Should Leave to the Professionals.
Chapter 18: Ten (Okay, Twelve) Tips for Hiring a Repair Specialist (When All Else Fails).
Index.