The Complete Idiot's Guide To Common Household Disasters

by Hayman, Paul; Weiss, Sonia

• ISBN13: 9781592573486
• ISBN10: 1592573487
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-05
• Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

Summary

The first and only guide to home repair troubleshooting.Whether it’s a basement flood, a backed-up septic tank, a fire due to faulty wiring, termites, dry rot, mold, or even tree limbs crashing into the garage during a windstorm, this is the book to help homeowners cope with, repair, and prevent household damage. In clear and concise language, it gives everyone from the novice to the veteran homeowner invaluable advice on limiting the damage and fixing the problem, and much more. • Includes checklists and seasonal maintenance schedules • Contains a helpful resource guide for information on safety and disaster relief • Expert authors with decades of experience • Helpful photos and illustrations

Author Biography

Paul Hayman has inspected about 5,000 homes since he started Hayman Inspections 16 years ago. He holds two engineering degrees-ùa B.S. in electrical engineering and an M.S. in engineering science-ùfrom the University of Tennessee. Hayman holds a mold inspector-'s certification, an American Society of Home Inspector-'s certification, and is a registered engineer with the State of South Dakota. Sonia Weiss has written or co-authored seven titles in the Complete Idiot-'s Guide-é series. A homeowner, she has worked on four renovations in the past 16 years and troubleshot major repairs caused by floods, lightning, and plumbing problems.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Water, Water, Everywhere	1	(86)
My Roof's Got a Hole In It	3	(12)
Plugging the Leak	4	(2)
Storm-Related Leaks	4	(1)
Ice-Dam-Related Leaks	5	(1)
Causes of Roof Problems	6	(2)
Diagnosing the Problem	8	(2)
Reviewing the Situation: Outside	8	(1)
Reviewing the Situation: Inside	9	(1)
Fixing the Problem	10	(5)
Temporary Roof Relief	10	(1)
Permanent Roof Relief	11	(4)
My Pipe Has a Break in It	15	(8)
Stopping the Flow	15	(2)
Calling for Help	17	(1)
Why Pipe Breaks Happen	17	(1)
Fixing the Problem	18	(1)
Repairing the Problem	19	(1)
Preventing Pipe Problems	20	(1)
Mopping Up	21	(2)
My Sewer Backed Up	23	(12)
Stopping Sewage Flow	23	(2)
Understanding Sanitary Sewers	25	(2)
Blocked Up!	25	(1)
Overflow!	26	(1)
Breakdown!	27	(1)
Why It's a Problem	27	(1)
Prevention	27	(5)
Keeping Things Clean	28	(1)
De-Rooting	29	(1)
Modify Internal Plumbing	30	(2)
Keep Extra Water Out	32	(1)
Cleanup	32	(3)
My Septic System Is Clogged	35	(12)
Immediate Steps	36	(1)
The Skinny on Septic Systems	36	(2)
Causes of Septic Problems	38	(3)
Overloading the System	38	(1)
Excessive Water Usage	39	(1)
Compaction	40	(1)
Dumping the Wrong Things Down	40	(1)
Keeping Your Septic System Happy	41	(3)
Inspect It	41	(1)
Pump It	42	(1)
Keep It Thirsty	43	(1)
Keep It Healthy	44	(1)
Clean Up	44	(3)
My Basement Is Flooded	47	(12)
Your House Against the Elements	47	(2)
River Deep, Water High	49	(2)
Maintaining a Good Grade	51	(2)
Dirt Fixes	52	(1)
Pavement Fixes	52	(1)
Gutter Problems	53	(1)
Draining Things Off	53	(1)
Pumping Things Out	54	(2)
Cracking Things Up	56	(1)
Window-Well Water	57	(2)
My Walls Are Wet	59	(14)
Walls of Water	59	(2)
Visiting the Scene of the Crime	61	(1)
Cracked Pipes	62	(1)
Trouble with Toilets	62	(3)
Rub-A-Dub-Dub, There's a Leak in My Tub	65	(2)
Dishing It Out	67	(1)
Hello Dampness, My Old Friend	67	(2)
Repairing Water-Damaged Interiors	69	(4)
Sagging Drywall	70	(1)
Patching Plaster and Drywall	70	(1)
Water Stains	70	(1)
Water Damage to Woodwork	71	(2)
Drying Things Out	73	(14)
Before You Bail	74	(2)
Bailing Things Out	76	(2)
Scrubbing Things Up	78	(2)
More on Walls	78	(1)
More on Floors and Floorcoverings	79	(1)
Slimy, Grimy Mold	80	(4)
Putting Out the Mold Welcome Mat	81	(1)
Keeping Mold at Arm's Length	81	(3)
Cleaning Possessions and Valuables	84	(3)
Books	84	(1)
Photographs	85	(1)
Furniture	86	(1)
Artwork	86	(1)
Part 2: House on Fire!	87	(46)
Heat in the Kitchen	89	(8)
The Heat Is On	89	(1)
Firing Things Up	90	(2)
Smokey the Bear Redux	92	(5)
Home Economics Redux	93	(1)
Taking Your Kitchen Up a Notch (with Apologies to Emeril)	94	(1)
Fire-Fighting Equipment	95	(2)
Heat in the Chimney	97	(14)
Fire in the Hole	98	(3)
Dirty Business	101	(3)
Fire-Building 101	104	(3)
Starting a Fire	104	(1)
Keeping It Going	105	(1)
Putting It Out	106	(1)
Cleaning It Up	106	(1)
A Clean Chimney Is a Happy Chimney	107	(4)
Burning the House Down	111	(14)
The Wide World of House Fires	112	(1)
One Homeowner's Story	113	(1)
Electrical Fires	114	(3)
Goings-On Behind the Walls	115	(1)
Alternative Wiring Products	116	(1)
Signs of Problems	117	(1)
Other Causes of Electrical Fires	117	(1)
Combustion Gas Fires	117	(1)
An Ounce of Prevention	118	(1)
Savvy Saves	119	(1)
Fire or Not Fire?	120	(5)
Light at the Top	120	(1)
Room with a View	120	(1)
Let the Light In	121	(1)
Nice and Toasty	121	(1)
Rays and Rainbows	121	(1)
How Dry I Am	121	(1)
Hubby's New Hobby	122	(1)
Hot Rock	123	(1)
Waffling Over an Iron	123	(2)
After the Fire	125	(8)
Actions in the Aftermath	126	(1)
In the Cinders	127	(1)
Clearing the Smoke	128	(3)
Getting Rid of the Smoke Smell	131	(2)
Part 3: Rock Solid? Maybe Not!	133	(52)
My Foundation Has a Crack in It	135	(8)
Foundation Faults	135	(1)
Small Crack, Big Problem?	136	(1)
Why Cracks Happen	137	(1)
Settling Things Down	137	(1)
Soils of Clay	137	(1)
Keeping Foundations Happy	138	(1)
Patching Cracks	139	(4)
My House Has a Hole In It	143	(12)
Old Friend Water	143	(2)
Finding the Break	145	(1)
The Inside Scoop on Exterior Construction	146	(1)
How the Brick Crumbles	146	(2)
Spalling	147	(1)
Cracks	147	(1)
Fixing Brick	148	(2)
Water Problems	148	(1)
Mitigating Mortar Problems	149	(1)
Special Problems with Brick Veneer	150	(1)
Wood Siding	150	(1)
Stucco	151	(2)
Vinyl and Metal Siding	153	(2)
My House Is Rotting Away	155	(12)
Rot Repair	156	(1)
Something's Rotten	157	(2)
Dry vs. Wet Rot	157	(1)
Rot vs. Mold	158	(1)
Why Wood Goes to Rot	159	(1)
Rooting Out Rot	160	(2)
How Dry Am I?	161	(1)
Drying Things Out	162	(1)
Repairing Wood Rot	162	(2)
Fixing Minor Rot Damage	164	(3)
Something's Eating My House	167	(18)
Immediate Fix	168	(1)
Insect I.D.	169	(1)
The Trouble with Termites	169	(3)
Subterranean Termites	170	(1)
Drywood Termites	171	(1)
Dampwood Termites	171	(1)
Preventing Termite Infestations	172	(2)
Eliminating Wood-Ground Connections	173	(1)
Keeping Things Dry	173	(1)
Keeping Things Screened and Sealed	174	(1)
Taking on Termites	174	(1)
Going with the Pros	175	(2)
All About Warranties	176	(1)
Treatment Options	177	(2)
Soil Barriers	177	(1)
Colony Elimination	177	(1)
Wood Treatment	178	(1)
Approaches for Drywood Termites	178	(1)
Repairing the Damage	179	(1)
Other Wood Lovers: Carpenter Ants	180	(5)
Diagnosing Carpenter Ants	180	(1)
Preventing Carpenter Ant Infestations	181	(1)
Controlling Carpenter Ants	181	(1)
Repairing Carpenter Ant Damage	182	(3)
Part 4: Uninvited Guests	185	(98)
There's a Mouse (or a Rat) in My House	187	(18)
Getting Past ``Eek!''	188	(1)
Meet the Enemy	188	(2)
The House Mouse	189	(1)
The Rat on Rats	189	(1)
Why They Come Inside	190	(1)
Why They're a Problem	190	(1)
Recognizing Rodent Infestations	191	(3)
Getting Rid of Rodents	194	(1)
Sanitizing Your Home	195	(3)
Food Sanitation	195	(1)
Outdoor Sanitation	196	(1)
Indoor Sanitation	196	(1)
Rodent Repellents	197	(1)
Rodent-Proofing	198	(1)
Reducing Their Numbers	199	(4)
Trapping	199	(2)
Poison Control	201	(1)
Zap 'Em	202	(1)
Fumigating	202	(1)
Disposing of Your Guests	203	(2)
Other Furry (and Not) Intruders	205	(12)
Animal in the Room	206	(2)
Overriding the Panic Button	206	(1)
Say Buh-Bye!	206	(1)
No, No, I Won't Go	207	(1)
Next Steps	208	(1)
Why They Come In	208	(1)
Why They're a Problem	209	(1)
Removing the Nuisance	209	(5)
Can't Touch Me!	209	(1)
Why Can't We Be Friends?	210	(1)
Animals in the Chimney	210	(1)
A Family Affair	211	(1)
Animals in Crawl Spaces and Attics	212	(1)
Animals Under the Porch	213	(1)
Keeping Them Away	214	(3)
Ants, Cockroaches, and Other Creepy Crawlies	217	(22)
Under Siege!	218	(1)
Living the Bug-Free Life	218	(1)
Taking Control Over Bugs	218	(2)
Name and Number Please!	220	(1)
Ladybugs	221	(1)
IPM Controls	222	(1)
Chemical Control	222	(1)
Ground Beetles	222	(1)
IPM Controls	223	(1)
Chemical Controls	223	(1)
Spiders	223	(1)
IPM Controls	224	(1)
Chemical Controls	224	(1)
Annoying Ants	224	(2)
IPM for Ants	225	(1)
Chemical Controls	225	(1)
Pantry Pests	226	(2)
Treating Suspect Food	227	(1)
IPM for Pantry Pests	227	(1)
Chemical Controls	228	(1)
Bedbugs	228	(2)
IPM Controls	229	(1)
Chemical Controls	230	(1)
Carpet Beetles	230	(2)
IPM Controls	231	(1)
Chemical Controls	232	(1)
Clothes Moths	232	(1)
IPM Controls	232	(1)
Wood-Destroying Beetles	232	(2)
IPM Controls	233	(1)
Chemical Controls	234	(1)
Cockroaches	234	(1)
IPM Controls	234	(1)
Chemical Controls	235	(1)
Silverfish and Firebrats	235	(4)
IPM Controls	236	(1)
Chemical Controls	236	(3)
Things That Go Bzzzz	239	(18)
Flying Things in the House	240	(1)
Trapping	240	(1)
Quick Kill Via Insecticide	240	(1)
Calling in IPM	241	(1)
Stinging Things	241	(1)
Risk Factors	241	(1)
Should They Go or Should They Stay?	242	(1)
Bald-Faced Hornets	242	(2)
DIY Hornet Nest Removal	243	(1)
Yellow Jackets	244	(3)
Playing ``Keep Away''	245	(1)
IPM for Yellow Jackets	245	(1)
Hitting Them Where They Nest	246	(1)
Yellow Jackets in Walls	247	(1)
Paper Wasps	247	(1)
No-Worry Wasps	247	(1)
Hard-to-Hate Honeybees	248	(1)
Going on the Defensive	248	(1)
Chemical Control	249	(1)
Bees in the House	249	(1)
On the Fly	249	(2)
IPM for Flies	251	(6)
Sanitation	252	(1)
Inspection	252	(1)
Exclusion	253	(1)
Mechanical Controls	253	(1)
Chemical Controls	254	(3)
Out, Out, Damn Flea!	257	(12)
Flea-Bitten?	257	(1)
Quick to the Kill	258	(3)
Spot-On Insecticides	259	(1)
Insect Growth Regulators	260	(1)
Insect Development Inhibitors	260	(1)
Washing the Problem	260	(1)
Treating Your Environs	261	(2)
Cleaning Up	261	(1)
Insecticide Control	262	(1)
Outdoor Control	263	(1)
Meet the Flea	263	(2)
Scratching the Itch	264	(1)
More Serious Health Concerns	264	(1)
Why Fleas Happen	265	(1)
Defensive Measures	266	(1)
Questionable Control Measures	266	(3)
Bats (and Birds) in the Belfry	269	(14)
Solo Intruders	270	(3)
Corralling a Bird	270	(1)
Birds in the Chimney	271	(1)
Battling a Bat	272	(1)
Bats---Good and Bad	273	(1)
Bat-Proofing Your Cave	274	(1)
Ruling the Roost	275	(3)
Caulk It Up	277	(1)
Screen Shots	277	(1)
Lights, Camera, Action!	277	(1)
Gimme Shelter	278	(1)
Battling Bunches of Birds	278	(1)
Banishing Birds	279	(4)
Saying Boo!	280	(1)
Barriers for Birds	281	(2)
Part 5: Third-Party Issues: Insurance, Contractors, and Service People	283	(46)
Finding, Hiring, and Working with Contractors, Repairpersons and Service People	285	(12)
Finding the Talent	286	(2)
Word of Mouth	287	(1)
Let Your Fingers Do the Walking	287	(1)
Chambers of Commerce	287	(1)
Professional Organizations	287	(1)
Special Considerations---Disasters	288	(1)
Hiring the Talent	288	(3)
The Skinny on ``Underground'' Contractors	291	(1)
More on Estimates	292	(1)
Getting It in Writing	293	(2)
Mechanic's Liens	295	(1)
Working with Contractors	295	(1)
When the Job Is Done	296	(1)
Covered Or Not: Homeowner's Insurance and Home Warranties	297	(32)
Protection from the Unexpected	298	(1)
Property Protection	298	(1)
Protection from Peril	299	(2)
Levels of Protection	300	(1)
Homeowner's Insurance, Texas Style	301	(1)
What's Not Covered	301	(1)
Understanding Loss and Recovery	302	(1)
Living Away from Home	303	(1)
Liability Coverage	304	(1)
Buying the Right Policy	304	(1)
Upholding Your End of the Deal	305	(1)
Existing Home Warranties	306	(1)
New Home Warranties	306	(3)
Appendixes
A Glossary	309	(8)
B Annual House Checklist and Maintenance Schedule	317	(8)
C Resources	325	(4)
Index	329