The Complete Idiot's Guide to Common Household Disasters. This item is unavailable.The Complete Idiot's Guide to Common Household Disasters

Owning a house can be full of surprises-and not always pleasant ones. Suppose your basement floods from a backed-up septic tank? Or you had a small fire in the laundry room due to faulty wiring? And how about termites, dry rot, or mold; or tree limbs crashing into the garage during a windstorm? The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Common Household Disasters is the first and only comprehensive guide to dealing with these and dozens of other situations that can cause serious damage to your house. In clear, concise, and practical language, this complete handbook is designed to give everyone from the novice to the veteran homeowner invaluable advice on (1) defining and troubleshooting the cause of the problem (2) the practical step-by-step approach to limiting the damage and fixing the problem (3) preventing most common problems from happening again through proper permanent repair, regular maintenance, and seasonal checks (4) recognizing the warning signs before the potential disaster occurs and taking steps to prevent it (5) when and how to choose the right contractor or professional to do the work and (6) how to save money whether you fix it yourself or you hire someone to do it.

With a Bachelor's degree in structural engineering, Paul Hayman began his career as a banker, but quickly realized that renovating old homes was vastly more fun. He established the renovation and design firm Baird Allen & Associates. Over its 15-plus year history, Baird Allen remodeled and renovated more than 30 residences and commercial structures, some of them destined for demolition if not for the firm's talent and vision. He is currently a principal with GMID, a group of architects, planners and designers located in San Bernardino, California. He lives in Rancho Mirage, California. No stranger to The Complete Idiot's Guides®, Sonia Weiss has written or co-authored seven titles in the series. A homeowner since the late 1970s, Weiss has worked on four house renovations in the past 16 years. She has also troubleshooted major repairs caused by disasters including floods, lightning strikes, and plumbing problems. She lives in Grand Rapids, North Dakota