Water Softeners Reviews

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Another Use For... 101 Common Household Items Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I picked this book up from the library, and now I'm looking for a copy to purchase. I started reading this 143 page book, and by page 15, I knew it was hopeless because I kept finding helpful tips that I had never thought of but that I wanted to remember. However, there was too much, and I couldn't remember any of it, so I decided that I needed to have my own copy for reference. Not everything in it is helpful or applicable to me, and yes, crome does pop up frequently, but there is enough advise that I need to make it well worth it. It's also very diversified in useful utensils and in purposes, so I am sure that this book would prove just as helpful to anyone even if they thought none of the stuff I appreciated helpful and only wanted the advise that I threw aside. I haven't seen the 2004 edition, so that may be even better, I don't know.

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If you drop a raw egg, what's the fastest way to clean it up? With a turkey baster. What's the easiest way to clean a shower door? Wipe it with a fabric softener sheet. This new edition features practical, useful tips like these and dozens more.

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Clean and Green Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is good. BUT...there are way too many recipes with no explanations for the beginning green cleaner.
I was a little lost in the vast forest of different ways to clean everything. Also, there are no detailed instructions on just how to mix together the ingredients. As Karen Noonan Logan points out in "Clean House, Clean Planet," there are times (especially when mixing baking soda and vinegar) when you must put the ingredients in a specific order for the cleanser to work.
Don't get me wrong, this *is* a very good book! Chemically sensitive people and those who already make their own cleansers will find it a valuable source. But, for the beginner, it would probably be better to get "Clean House, Clean Planet" first because it has detailed instructions, some chemistry lessons and effectiveness ratings.
After you become more familiar with how green cleaning works, this book would be an excellent addition for more recipes and ideas.

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485 ways to clean, polish, disinfect, deodorize, launder,remove stains, even wash your car, without harming yourself or theenvironment. Recipes based on harmless, nonpolluting, renewableingredients.160 pages, recycled paper/vegetable ink, paperback.

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Home Inspection Troubleshooter Review

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(More customer reviews)The book provided great hints and advice to a variety of specific home inspection subjects. The book by itself is not or intended as a full do it yourself guide. I purchased this book as a reference and to get additional insight and ideas.
I found it easy to read and very enjoyable.

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If you're about to buy or sell a home, having it inspected first can save you time and money. The Home Inspection Troubleshooter can help you quickly determine if your house is in shape, and if not, what to do about it.Written in factual, entertaining style, this book is the key to understanding the home inspection process.It is a must read for sellers, buyers, and landlords who need to detect problems before they become expensive.

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Trouble-Free Home Repair (2nd Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is great. It talks about tools and techniques for all kinds of home repairs. It recommends what tools everyone needs for basic repairs, and which tools are useful but aren't necessary. If you are a first-time homeowner like I am, and you've never had to deal with this subject before, this is your book.

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You're no idiot, of course.You can stick a bucket underneath a dripping ceiling with breathtaking precision and tape cardboard over a broken window like you were born to the craft.But when it comes to real home repair challenges, your handiwork begins and ends with the call you make to your carpenter or plumber.Don't pack up your toolbox yet!The Complete Idiot's Guide to Trouble-Free Home Repair, Second Edition is your total guide to diagnosing and fixing the most basic home-repair problems yourself.In this completely revised and updated Complete Idiot's Guide, you get:

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The Healthy Home: An Attic-To-Basement Guide To Toxin-Free Living Review

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(More customer reviews)If you ever wanted to learn what those environmental problems in your home are then this is the book. This book will help you make your home healthy. This should be a must have book for every homeowner.

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The Consumer Advocate's Guide to Home Inspection: Avoiding the Nightmare of Purchasing a Money Pit Review

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(More customer reviews)The first 120 pages of the book do nothing but drone on and on about why you should get a home inspection done and about the legal liabilities of the inspectors. I think most people who've bought the book have probably already decided to use an inspector and don't need to be told through 120 pages that they should!
Every other page is a reprint of a question that someone had sent him in his newspaper articles and are mostly redundant.
For example, he'll tell you that in most parts of the country Inspectors don't consider swimming pools to be part of the inspection. He'll then use up a full page for a q&a letter that says, "Barry, I recently got an inspection done and the inspector didn't include the swimming pool in the report. Wasn't he supposed to do this?".
I consider all of the Q&A letters to be redundant and insulting my intelligence by assuming I need the point repeated like a preschooler. It is nothing more than filler so that you won't realize you are buying what is essentially a 75 page book that is nothing more than a checklist.
Lastly, once the interesting part of the book commences (the checklist) he puts up pictures of common problems. The problem is that the pictures are black and white and are so small that you can't even see what the problem he's describing in the picture actually looks like!
In short, I think you could find the checklists you need for free on the internet and skip this book. It is nothing like what I expected based on the title.

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Find the dangers are lurking inside your new home. Put ""The House Detective"" on the Case! 100% of home inspections reveal either a series of defects or safety hazards. And every home inspection can result in a renegotiation of the terms of sale, that is, if homebuyers understand their options. Barry Stone, author of the definitive guide on this issue, The Consumer Advocate's Guide to Home Inspection, can offer the knowledge you need in order to understand how to benefit from the home inspection process.

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Help, It's Broken: A Fix-It Bible for the Repair Impaired Review

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(More customer reviews)This book covers everything and the author has a great sense of humor throughout. It reads well and is the first home-repair book that is easy to understand

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No matter where you live and whether you rent or own, one day you'll wake up in the morning and something will be broken.This book will come in handy to avoid panic and home repair disasters because a good reference guide is just what you need when there's a geyser in your living room.Count on this manual to tell you what to do or who to call to get the mess fixed.This useful book includes chapters on: Walls, Doors, Windows and Floors; Electricity; Appliances; Plumbing; Heat and Ventilation; Pests; Frugal Fixing and more.Each section is illustrated and explains the basics of how things operate before detailing how to fix them in a few easy steps.It also teaches you not only how to fix things yourself but also how to get someone who knows what they're doing to fix things for you and what questions to ask.This quick and informative guide can save you thousands of dollars and a lot of hassle. From unclogging drains to expelling rodents, from repairing stained carpet to fixing your dishwasher, you can depend on this book in any number of household catastrophes.Even if you can barely tell a nut from a bolt, Help! It's Broken is your quick reference guide for all home-repair solutions. Consider it a toolbox essential.

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The Naturally Clean Home: 100 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers Review

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(More customer reviews)I borrowed this book from my local library and followed up by purchasing a copy of my own. My main concerns were to have a safer environment for my two young children and to housekeep in a way that's as kind to the environment as possible. But it doesn't hurt that the recipes are both effective and smell wonderful! I love the "lavender soft scrubber", the "country spice scrubber" and the "cedarwood duster aid". The "fleas-be-gone carpet treatment" didn't hurt either, since I have two cats. I highly recommend this book.
For people who are also interested in making their own face and body care products, Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond and Rosemary Gladstar's Herbs for Natural Beauty are also wonderful.
One hint: Several of the recipes use baking soda, which can leave a residue. I've found that it rinses off very cleanly if you use a combination of water and white vinegar to rinse after cleaning.

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Readers will learn how to use the antiseptic and antiviral properties of herbs and essential oils in safer, more economical alternatives to commercial cleaning products. Recipes include laundry and dishwashing detergent; bathroom cleaners; wood, glass, and metal cleaners; air and carpet fresheners; car and pet care products; and insect repellents.

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Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm single, a downtown apartment dweller, and I've been using natural, homemade cleaning products for almost three years. I have read - and use regularly - several natural cleaning books, including another of Annie Berthold-Bond's titles, "Clean & Green." However, I have become interested in "green living," not just cleaning. That means switching from commercial household products to homemade products for personal care, pest control, etc. That is what led me to "Better Basics For the Home."
"Better Basics" is far easier to use and much better organized and written than "Clean & Green." It is set up in logical sections according to the products' uses. The index is very good. You can find a recipe quickly, although I would suggest you read through the book once and get a feel for how to go about things. Also, one of the best aspects is the "Sources and Resources" section near the back. If you live in an area without health food stores, woods or land suitable for growing your own herbs, then this will be essential for your ability to find ingredients to make your own green household products.
This book is also suitable for the beginner green cleaner. Most of the recipes, once you have the correct ingredients, are very easy to make and quick to put together. That being said, this book is also for people who are really serious about green cleaning, personal hygiene, pest control and other aspects of running a household. I say that because some of the ingredients used in many of the recipes are costly if you have to buy them instead of gathering them from your yard or a nearby wooded area. Also, essential oils - literally essential in green cleaning! - are expensive. (A little goes a loooong way, though.) This is a lot more than vinegar-baking soda-Castille soap cleaning and requires a higher level of commitment financially.
As a single person, I also found that many of the recipes, especially the ones that are highly perishable, would make too much for me to use in the time they are fresh. Of course, the easy way to get around this is to simply cut the recipes in half or even a quarter. If you can cook or do some simple math (I'm terrible at math and I have no troubles), then you as a single person can cut the recipes down to a manageable, useful amount. I have already cleaned my leather couch, made lanolin hand lotion (great stuff!) and protected my hemp shower curtain from mildew with a spray-on solution containing tea tree oil. How long did it take? I did it effortlessly in one day, around other chores. Very easy.
I would recommend, if you are really interested in green cleaning by desire or necessity, to buy this book and also get "Clean House, Clean Planet" by Karen Logan. To me, Logan's book is the single best way to get someone involved in green cleaning. Her recipes tend to be cheap, easy and effective. This book has a far greater range of recipes for many more uses, but they are overall more expensive and specialized.
Also, a few tips if you are going to get into green cleaning:
1) Get equipment that is used only in making your cleaning products. Some essential oils and other ingredients are very bad for you to eat, and mixups and residues could make your day very long and very bad. I have a simple list: a medium-sized Pyrex bowl and 2-cup Pyrex measure, a silicone spatula, *metal* measuring spoons, a whisk and some glass jars with metal screw-on lids you can get at any decent-sized grocery store. With about $20-$30, you can have nearly all the equipment you will ever need.
2) Start with one product that is cheap and easy to make, and works on something you want to clean right now. Instant gratification is a great way to get into the habit!
3) Especially if you want to clean rather than make personal care products at first, buy one small bottle of essential oil that smells good AND disinfects to cut down costs. I happen to like tea tree oil, but if you prefer a wintergreen type smell, choose lavender. If you find out that green cleaning is for you, then you can branch out into other essential oils more suited for other tasks.

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How Your House Works: A Visual Guide to Understanding & Maintaining Your Home Review

How Your House Works: A Visual Guide to Understanding and Maintaining Your Home

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this and two other "visual guide to your home" books from Amazon. This book is by far the best of the lot. I can't say enough good things about it. Here's why:
1. CURRENCY AND COVERAGE. Published in 2007, it's the most current title, and covers modern home fixtures better than the others. It's also very comprehensive in it's coverage
2. QUALITY. The diagrams and cutaways are highly detailed, and the best that I've seen - they're also full color, compared to the black and white in other books.
3. CLARITY AND ORGANIZATION. The explanations are straightforward and insight, with just enough detail to understand home systems.
4. TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS. Every topic includes a sidebar containing "Before hiring a professional" troubleshooting tips. They explain the 2 to 3 most likely problems with the system, along with the solutions. I just used this book to troubleshoot our malfunctioning garbage disposal. The troubleshooting tip was 100% right. I made the fix in 2 minutes and saved $180+ on the cost of replacing the disposal. The book just paid for itself 10 times over.
I have 30+ books on home building. This one has a special place on my bookshelf. If you own a house, buy this book. You'll thank me the first time you have the satisfaction of fixing something that goes wrong!

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Why is my faucet leaking, my toilet running, or my dishwasher refusing to start? Can I fix it myself? What's causing the heating system to smell bad or the foundation to crack? Do I need an air filtration system? Is the new "engineered lumber" as good as conventional wood? These are just a few examples of questions homeowners face when repairs are needed, or when a new house or addition is being planned.
There's no question that it pays to be an informed consumer. Knowledge of your home's systems helps you control repair and construction costs and make sure the correct elements are being installed or replaced.
This book uncovers the mysteries behind just about every major appliance and building element in your house. Clear, "exploded" drawings show you exactly how these things should be put together and how they function – what to check if they don't work, and what you can do that might save you having to call in a professional.
The easy-to-understand pictures and explanations on every page get right to the point, helping you understand how things work, what can go wrong, and how to trouble-shoot a problem.
FEATURES:
Virtually everything in your house is included:
Electrical – circuit breakers and grounding, service, outlets, lamps and fixtures.
Heating and air conditioning – gas, electrical and oil - ductwork and piping, thermostats, central and window AC units, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, and air filtering systems.
Plumbing – kitchen and bath fixtures, piping, water heaters, traps and vents, septic tanks, pumps and water softener systems – even sprinkler systems and swimming pool filters/heaters.
Major household appliances – from kitchen to laundry.
Foundation, framing, doors and windows – including issues like drainage and radon, types of framing and how it supports the house, and all types of doors and windows.

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Home Maintenance For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)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!

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A hands-on, step-by-step guide to properly maintaining your home

Your home requires regular maintenance to operate safely and efficiently. The expert advice in this second edition of Home Maintenance For Dummies can help you save literally thousands of dollars each year by showing you how to perform home maintenance yourself!
This new edition provides the latest tips on how to tune up your home and make repairs to every room of the house, from basement to attic. By combining step-by-step instructions and expert information, this practical guide gives you the skills to tackle everything from furnace tune-ups to leaky roofs. You'll also learn how to conduct routine inspections, keep major appliances running efficiently, and increase energy efficiency.
Shows how to keep your home in tip-top shape, preserve its value, and avoid costly repairs
Covers all rooms of the house, in addition to the roof, foundation, and exterior
Explains how to keep all home systems and major appliances running smoothly
Includes a seasonal maintenance schedule
Provides the latest green maintenance options to help lower your utility bills

James Carey and Morris Carey have a radio show, a newspaper column, and a Web site, all called On the House, and appear regularly on CBS News Saturday Morning. They are also the authors of Home Remodeling For Dummies
If you've always wanted to tackle home repairs like a pro, Home Maintenance For Dummies, 2nd Edition is your ideal resource!

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