Too Late for Caution

**The updated and highly illustrated guide to understanding how just about everything in your house works!** The revised and updated third edition of __How Your House Works__ is a hands-on guide that gives you the low-down on why your faucet is leaking, your dishwasher is overflowing, or your furnace is on the fritz. This comprehensive book is your reference to virtually everything in your house with richly illustrated explanations of electrical systems, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, major household appliances, foundation, framing, doors, and windows. This must-have book answers most questions homeowners face when repairs are needed or when a new house or addition is in your future. __How Your House Works__ is filled with easy-to-understand illustrations that show how things should be put together and how they function. The book also highlights issues outside the house as well as clock thermostats, ventless gas heaters, moisture and mold, and passive solar heating. Using the illustrations and the author's clear explanations might save you the expense of calling a professional. This invaluable guide: Offers a colorful resource to home electrical systems, HVAC, plumbing, major household appliances, foundation, framing, doors and windows, sustainability, and much moreIncludes easy-to-follow information for troubleshooting problemsContains dozens of new full-color illustrationsPresents new chapters on solar power and smart home technologiesHelps homeowners save money on many common household repairsWritten for homeowners with little or no knowledge of home maintenance or repair, __How Your House Works__ is your illustrated and updated guide to understanding how appliances, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and more work! HOW YOUR HOUSE WORKS 3 Contents 7 Introduction 13 About the Author 15 A Note from the Author 17 Chapter 1. Plumbing 19 The Supply System 20 The Waste System 22 The Vent System 24 Private Septic System 26 Lavatory Pop-up Drain 28 Sink Drain 29 Plunger-Type Tub Drain 30 Pop-up Tub Drain 31 Older Gravity Flow Toilet 32 Water-Saving Toilet 34 Traps & Vents 36 Ball-Type Faucet 38 Cartridge-Type Faucet 39 Disk-Type Faucet 40 Compression-Type Faucet 41 Tempering Valve 42 Tub/Shower Control 43 Hose Bibbs 44 Pitcher (Hand) Pump 45 Jet Pump 46 Submersible Pump 48 Sump Pump 50 Pressure Tank 51 Electric Water Heater 52 Gas Water Heater 53 Electric Tankless Heater 54 Gas Tankless Heater 55 BoilerMateTM Water Heater 56 Charcoal Cartridge Filter 57 Tank Filter 58 Reverse Osmosis Filter 59 Water Softener 60 UV Purifier 62 Fire Sprinkler 63 Chapter 2. Wiring 65 Electrical Circuit 66 Ohm’s Law 67 Using a Test Meter 68 120 & 240 VAC 70 Circuit Breakers & Fuses 71 Service Drop 72 Electromechanical Meter 73 Smart Meter 74 Circuit Grounding 75 Electrical Panels 76 Receptacle 78 GFCI 80 AFCI 81 Single-Pole Switch 82 3- & 4-Way Switches 84 Ceiling Fan/Light Switch 86 Dimmer Switch 88 Motion-Activated Switch 90 Flush-Mount Light Fixture 92 Hanging Ceiling Fixture 93 Floor & Table Lamps 94 Fluorescent Lamps 95 Compact Fluorescent Lamp 96 LED Lamp 97 CO Detector 98 Battery Smoke Detector 99 Wired Smoke Detectors 100 The Smart Home 102 Chapter 3. Heating 105 Gas Warm Air Furnace 106 Gas Hot Water Boiler 107 Oil Warm Air Furnace 108 Oil Hot Water Boiler 109 Oil Burner 110 Fuel Oil Filter 111 Air-Source Heat Pump 112 Ground-Source Heat Pump 114 Ventless Gas Heater 116 Direct-Vent Gas Heater 118 Direct-Vent Gas Fireplace 119 Pellet Stove 120 Air-Tight Wood Stove 122 Electric Baseboard 123 Hydronic Distribution 124 Warm Air Distribution 125 Hot Water Radiant Heat 126 Bimetallic Thermostat 127 Digital Clock Thermostat 128 Chapter 4. Cooling 129 Natural Ventilation 130 Ceiling Fan 131 Whole-House Fan 132 Window Air Conditioner 133 Central Air Conditioner 134 Ductless Air Conditioner 135 Evaporative Cooler 136 Chapter 5. Air Quality 137 Moisture & Mold 138 Humidifier 140 Dehumidifier 141 Furnace Filter 142 Electronic Air Cleaner 143 Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger 144 Chapter 6. Appliances 145 Dishwasher 146 Front-Loading Washer 148 Top-Loading Washer 150 Electric Dryer 152 Gas Dryer 153 Electric Range/Oven 154 Gas Range/Oven 156 Coffee Makers 158 Microwave Oven 160 Garbage Disposer 161 Refrigerator/Freezer 162 Icemaker 164 Trash Compactor 165 Vacuum Cleaners 166 Chapter 7. Windows & Doors 169 Double-Hung Window 170 Low-E Windows 172 Window Insulating Panel 174 Cylinder Lock 176 Deadbolt & Keyed Knob 177 Garage Door Opener 178 Chapter 8. Foundation & Frame 179 Footing 180 Drainage 181 Radon Abatement 182 Slab Foundation 183 Crawl Space Foundation 184 Grade Beam Foundation 185 Full Foundation 186 Pier Foundation 187 Forces on the Frame 188 Beams in Bending 190 Framing Members 192 Post & Beam Frame 194 Plank & Beam Frame 195 Balloon Frame 196 Platform Frame 197 Advanced (OVE) Frame 198 Chapter 9. Outdoor Equipment 199 4-Cycle Gasoline Engine 200 2-Cycle Gasoline Engine 202 Gasoline Chain Saw 204 Gasoline Lawn Mower 206 Gasoline String Trimmer 208 Gasoline Leaf Blower 209 Cordless Equipment 210 Lithium-ion Batteries 212 Pool Pump & Filter 213 Lawn Sprinkler System 214 Chapter 10. The Solar Home 217 Passive Solar Heating 218 Solar Pool Heater 220 Solar Water Heater 221 Photovoltaic (PV) Power 222 A Homeowner’s Tool Bag 227 Index 233 EULA 235 Content: Intro HOW YOUR HOUSE WORKS Contents Introduction About the Author A Note from the Author Chapter 1. Plumbing The Supply System The Waste System The Vent System Private Septic System Lavatory Pop-up Drain Sink Drain Plunger-Type Tub Drain Pop-up Tub Drain Older Gravity Flow Toilet Water-Saving Toilet Traps & Vents Ball-Type Faucet Cartridge-Type Faucet Disk-Type Faucet Compression-Type Faucet Tempering Valve Tub/Shower Control Hose Bibbs Pitcher (Hand) Pump Jet Pump Submersible Pump Sump Pump Pressure Tank Electric Water Heater Gas Water Heater Electric Tankless HeaterGas Tankless Heater BoilerMateTM Water Heater Charcoal Cartridge Filter Tank Filter Reverse Osmosis Filter Water Softener UV Purifier Fire Sprinkler Chapter 2. Wiring Electrical Circuit Ohm's Law Using a Test Meter 120 & 240 VAC Circuit Breakers & Fuses Service Drop Electromechanical Meter Smart Meter Circuit Grounding Electrical Panels Receptacle GFCI AFCI Single-Pole Switch 3- & 4-Way Switches Ceiling Fan/Light Switch Dimmer Switch Motion-Activated Switch Flush-Mount Light Fixture Hanging Ceiling Fixture Floor & Table Lamps Fluorescent LampsCompact Fluorescent Lamp LED Lamp CO Detector Battery Smoke Detector Wired Smoke Detectors The Smart Home Chapter 3. Heating Gas Warm Air Furnace Gas Hot Water Boiler Oil Warm Air Furnace Oil Hot Water Boiler Oil Burner Fuel Oil Filter Air-Source Heat Pump Ground-Source Heat Pump Ventless Gas Heater Direct-Vent Gas Heater Direct-Vent Gas Fireplace Pellet Stove Air-Tight Wood Stove Electric Baseboard Hydronic Distribution Warm Air Distribution Hot Water Radiant Heat Bimetallic Thermostat Digital Clock Thermostat Chapter 4. Cooling Natural Ventilation Ceiling FanWhole-House Fan Window Air Conditioner Central Air Conditioner Ductless Air Conditioner Evaporative Cooler Chapter 5. Air Quality Moisture & Mold Humidifier Dehumidifier Furnace Filter Electronic Air Cleaner Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger Chapter 6. Appliances Dishwasher Front-Loading Washer Top-Loading Washer Electric Dryer Gas Dryer Electric Range/Oven Gas Range/Oven Coffee Makers Microwave Oven Garbage Disposer Refrigerator/Freezer Icemaker Trash Compactor Vacuum Cleaners Chapter 7. Windows & Doors Double-Hung Window Low-E Windows Window Insulating Panel Cylinder LockDeadbolt & Keyed Knob Garage Door Opener Chapter 8. Foundation & Frame Footing Drainage Radon Abatement Slab Foundation Crawl Space Foundation Grade Beam Foundation Full Foundation Pier Foundation Forces on the Frame Beams in Bending Framing Members Post & Beam Frame Plank & Beam Frame Balloon Frame Platform Frame Advanced (OVE) Frame Chapter 9. Outdoor Equipment 4-Cycle Gasoline Engine 2-Cycle Gasoline Engine Gasoline Chain Saw Gasoline Lawn Mower Gasoline String Trimmer Gasoline Leaf Blower Cordless Equipment Lithium-ion Batteries Pool Pump & Filter

The updated and highly illustrated guide to understanding how just about everything in your house works!

The revised and updated third edition of How Your House Works is a hands-on guide that gives you the low-down on why your faucet is leaking, your dishwasher is overflowing, or your furnace is on the fritz. This comprehensive book is your reference to virtually everything in your house with richly illustrated explanations of electrical systems, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, major household appliances, foundation, framing, doors, and windows. This must-have book answers most questions homeowners face when repairs are needed or when a new house or addition is in your future.

How Your House Works is filled with easy-to-understand illustrations that show how things should be put together and how they function. The book also highlights issues outside the house as well as clock thermostats, ventless gas heaters, moisture and mold, and passive solar heating. Using the illustrations and the author’s clear explanations might save you the expense of calling a professional. This invaluable guide:

• Offers a colorful resource to home electrical systems, HVAC, plumbing, major household appliances, foundation, framing, doors and windows, sustainability, and much more
• Includes easy-to-follow information for troubleshooting problems
• Contains dozens of new full-color illustrations
• Presents new chapters on solar power and smart home technologies
• Helps homeowners save money on many common household repairs

Written for homeowners with little or no knowledge of home maintenance or repair, How Your House Works is your illustrated and updated guide to understanding how appliances, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and more work!