The bestselling alternative energy reference book in North America--now in an updated edition

Want to take advantage of solar power in your home? Whether you're looking to save on your energy costs by adding a few solar components or you want to build a solar-powered house from the ground up, "Solar Power For Dummies, 2nd Edition" takes the mystery out of this energy source and shows you how to put it to work for you

This new edition gives you hands-on tips and techniques for making your home more energy-efficient though solar power--and helping the planet at the same time. Plus, you'll get all the latest information on changes to federal, state, and local regulations, laws, and tax incentives that seek to make solar-power adoption more feasible.Expanded coverage of the technology that underpins full-scale solar-power systems for the homeNew small- and mid-sized solar products, projects, and applicationsRik DeGunther is a design engineer who started his own energy consulting firm

Featuring ten of the easiest and cheapest DIY solar projects, "Solar Power For Dummies, 2nd Edition" is the fun and easy way to meet your energy needs with this clean power source

The definitive guide to the design of environmental control systems for buildings--now updated in its 13th Edition Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings is the most widely used text on the design of environmental control systems for buildings--helping students of architecture, architectural engineering, and construction understand what they need to know about building systems and controlling a building's environment. With over 2,200 drawings and photographs, this 13th Edition covers basic theory, preliminary building design guidelines, and detailed design procedure for buildings of all sizes. It also provides information on the latest technologies, emerging design trends, and updated codes. Presented in nine parts, Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings, Thirteenth Edition offers readers comprehensive coverage of: environmental resources; air quality; thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort; passive heating and cooling; water design and supply; daylighting and electric lighting; liquid and solid waste; and building noise control. This book also presents the latest information on fire protection, electrical systems; and elevator and escalator systems. This Thirteenth Edition features: Over 2,200 illustrations, with 200 new photographs and illustrations All-new coverage of high-performance building design Thoroughly revised references to codes and standards: ASHRAE, IES, USGBC (LEED), Living Building Challenge, WELL Building Standard, and more Updated offering of best-in-class ancillary materials for students and instructors available via the book's companion website Architect Registration Examination(R) (ARE(R)) style study questions available in the instructor's manual and student guide Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings, has been the industry standard reference that comprehensively covers all aspects of building systems for over 80 years. This Thirteenth Edition has evolved to reflect the ever-growing complexities of building design, and has maintained its relevance by allowing for the conversation to include "why" as well as "how to."

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!

Heres a wonderful opportunity to tour 28 beautiful new log homes without leaving your lounge chair. Sumptuous photographs bring the houses to life, while floor plans act as your guide to every part of the home. This is a tool for anyone who dreams of building a log home, with hundreds of ideas to sift through. These are real homes, chosen for their outstanding designs, tasteful decoration, and real-life, lived-in practicality.

Over 600 artful watercolor renderings of window treatments combined with a CD of all the images make this the most useful, practical book available. Professional decorators and homeowners alike will love it.\nThis book is an invaluable resource that will inspire you. A wide range of designs from traditional flowing swags and long jabots to modern styles with simple lines and colors make hundreds of combinations possible. You can mix them to create your own unique window dressing. A variety of large windows, like those commonly found in new houses, make this book unique.\nThe CD allows you to use these wonderful images with most graphic, design, and editing programs, enabling you to see how different treatments will look on your own windows. For those less computer saavy, these images can easily be printed and cut out. Hours of interactive fun!

Finally there is a simple book for do-it-yourselfers who want to undertake a small countertop project. Follow several countertops projects step-by-step through the process of molding, pour, and finishing. Projects include cast-in-place, pre-cast, and hand-packed. Doug Bannister demonstrates time-tested techniques and his break-through formulas for countertops that set up fast and stand up to quick finishing, installation, and long-term use. Years of experience can translate into a weekend project, like the kitchen and bathroom vanity projects illustrated in this wonderful, long-awaited book. The text and captions are presented in both Spanish and English.

The timber-framed home is attractive, affordable, and easily expanded to meet the needs of a growing family. With the step-by-step instructions in this book you can build your own classic timber-framed house -- one that's enduring, and features a level of craftsmanship rare in modern construction. Following the traditional "hall-and-parlor" home design, architect and builder Jack Sobon carefully and clearly explains finding the ideal building site; creating the master plan; selecting the best tree species; hewing and milling timbers; assembling the frame; installing wall sheathing, windows, and doors; designing and finishing the interior; expanding on the plan.
One of the best-known and most distinctive figures in the timber-framing revival, Jack Sobon knows how to make home building affordable with economical hand tools, by taking control of the processing of building materials, and through using local inexpensive supplies.
The basic house design of this book is easily adapted to meet different needs. Sobon's practical advice incorporates the latest knowledge on building a healthy house, integrating natural systems, and finding effective home heating solutions.

Imagine a world where Wellington boots come with a 24-page instruction manual, or council carers who are prohibited from making tea for OAPs in case they scald themselves on the job. Welcome to Britain in the 21st century, where the Jobsworths now lords it large, issuing edicts of mind-boggling stupidity that ruin the quality of people's lives all in the name of 'elf n safety'. Journalist Alan Pearce has compiled the most outrageous and hilarious (and unfortunately all true) examples. They will make you cringe whilst crying with laughter. Read about the author who was banned from selling his book in case it caused paper cuts; the swings removed from a playground in case children were blinded by the sun while playing on them; an international cycle race banned after worries about urinating cyclists; the risk assessment needed before a local village hall could sell mince pies. You couldn't make it up!

Extend your working, living and storage areas with low-cost barns, sheds and animal shelters. Building Small Barns, Sheds & Shelters provides basic, easy-to-follow construction methods for attractive outbuildings. Here's complete information on tools and materials; foundations and floors; framing, sheathing and roofing; windows and doors; wiring and plumbing; and finishing details. Specific plans and how-to-build instructions for popular home and family-farm structures include:

-- Multi-purpose barns

-- Woodshed, toolshed and carport plans

-- Combination small barn/studio

-- Barn-style garage

-- Underground root cellar

-- Smokehouse

-- Housing for poultry, rabbits, hogs

-- Various fencing designs

With advice on tools, materials and methods and written in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, this is a book that makes it easier to say 'No' to our disposable society and make a real difference. Not everything has built-in obsolescence - as this fantastically handy guide to fixing everyday objects proves! Whether you need to repair a strap on a favourite handbag or mend a leak in a washing machine, How to Repair Everything is packed full of tips and tricks of the trade for the person who likes to do-it-yourself. From quick fixes that will get you out of a jam to permanent solutions that make the item good as new, this is perfect for anyone who hates the throwaway society and would much rather refurb and recycle. With advice on tools, materials and methods and written in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, this is a book that makes it easier to say 'No' to our disposable society and make a real difference. Whether it's a sweater that's shrunk in the wash, a broken umbrella spoke or fixing a microwave oven, you'll be amazed just how many things can be mended with a few tools and a bit of patience.

A step-by-step guide that gives any gardener all the information needed to make garden furnishings that are both simple and beautiful. This book includes 50 complete plans for trellises, raised beds, planters, window boxes, and just about any imaginable project you can make to train and display plants in your garden and around your home. Featured projects are created using a host of easily found materials, including wood, metal, hypertufa, upcycled barrels, clay pots, sticks, latticework, copper tubing, re-rod, wire, landscape timbers, retaining wall block, and natural stone. Each plan includes photographs, a scaled plan drawing, cutting and shopping lists, and thorough step-by-step instructions.

Make, mend, and customise your own wardrobe with this highly photographic beginner's guide to machine sewing. A sewing book for beginners that's actually helpful. It's love at first stitch! This highly photographic, easy-to-use guide to machine sewing features more than 200 step-by-step techniques to help you master every stitch in the book! Inside the pages of this sewing reference book, you will find: - More than 200 sewing techniques, all clearly and closely photographed and explained in sharp detail - Discover how to read a pattern, use a sewing machine, and sew basic stitches, seams, and hems - Explore how to put your new-found skills to use to create, personalise, up-cycle, and re-purpose your clothes and soft furnishings. - Photographs and explanations of essential sewing equipment and materials - for both hand and machine sewing - A guide to sewing jargon and terminology that describes when, where, and how to use each tool and technique - Techniques to create something new or to customise things you already have Whether you're a seasoned sewer or just starting to learn how to sew, a fashion design student or sewing for yourself at home, Sew Step by Step will guide you through every hand stitch, machine stitch, and sewing technique you will ever need. With fully updated text and a refreshed design, this is an essential sewing handbook that you will want to keep next to your sewing machine to come back to time and time again. Close-up photographs accompanied by crystal clear instructions take you through everything from cutting out patterns to inserting collars, sleeves and pockets into garments. Explore how to put those skills to use to make, mend and customise your clothes and home furnishings. You will also learn how to find a suitable fabric for every project with an easy-to-use guide to different materials. It also makes a wonderful gift for beginner sewers and expert stitchers alike.

A retro-fit offers many benefits: cutting electricity and heating bills, increasing the resale value of homes, slashing carbon emissions and creating a healthier place to live. This book is the guide to making it happen. It looks at: - draught-proofing, insulation and damp - ventilation, heating and cooling - electrical efficiency and renewable energy - water use and re-use - materials' life cycles and incorporating nature - protection from climate change impacts - modelling energy flows and embodied energy - how we can meet the need to cut carbon emissions from dwellings by 80% by 2050. Projects can apply to apartment blocks, recent builds and older, solid-walled properties. Enlivened with helpful diagrams and photographs, plus plenty of pointers for further information, it provides a comprehensive resource handbook for any building professional and contractor, students - or any homeowner serious about efficiency (cash and carbon) savings.

For avid gardeners, the biggest down-side of the hobby is the limited growing season in much of the country. Gardening during the winter is often reduced to tending house-plants and browsing seed catalogues for next summer's tomato choices. Master Gardener and builder Roger Marshall enthusiastically presents his case for home greenhouses with a thorough examination of everything the potential builder needs to know. Marshall's coverage of the subject begins with a careful consideration of the various purposes served by greenhouses. Will the structure be used as a damp, warm hothouse for rare orchids? A tropical paradise for banana and citrus trees? A friendlier environment in which to get a jump on a summer vegetable garden is the goal for many gardeners, while an inviting setting for a year-round hot tub surrounded by lush greenery has an undeniable appeal. What ever its eventual use will be, Marshall helps the reader examine every option and make an informed choice. After determining the type and style of the structure, Marshall progresses, chapter by chapter, through the construction elements of the greenhouse - from choosing a site, to laying the foundation and determining which glazing material will work best. Plumbing, heating, supplemental lighting, misting, and automatic venting systems are also covered for the truly committed reader/gardener. The final section-of the book includes detailed plans for nine actual greenhouses, from a simple cold frame to an elaborately detailed framed, detached structure. Whatever the greenhouse goal, Marshall opens the way to longer growing seasons, abundant organically grown fruits and vegetables, and many more happy months playing in the dirt!

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.

Owners of old houses are often baffled by the confusing advice they receive from their builders, architects or surveyors who may be more familiar with repairing modern buildings than dealing with the issues associated with traditional houses. Old houses generally require a different approach, one, for instance, which takes account of their need to 'breathe'. Modern solutions do not always recognise that need. This book will help owners, builders and all construction professionals make the decisions that are right for old buildings. It illustrates the long term benefits of using more traditional solutions on older houses rather than modern materials like cement based mortars, sealants or impervious paints. It offers practical guidance on: How to get the right professional advice; Legal requirements for listed buildings; Problems with damp and rot; Use of lime mortars, plasters and renders; Why old buildings need to breathe; Planning applications; and, Trees, outbuildings and gardens.

'No one knows sheds like Joel Bird. The creativity and knowledge which won him shed of the year is echoed throughout this brilliant book.' - George Clarke Have you ever wanted to design your very own garden shed? The Book of Shed will show you how: traditional or contemporary, large or small, private rooms to entertaining spaces, guest houses to beach huts - this book is here to teach you how to make your vision a reality, from the very first design brief, to costing your new venture, to sourcing builders and suppliers, to how to structure and maintain your garden shed. Written by designer-builder, TV personality and all-round shed-progressive Joel Bird, The Book of Shed combines imaginative ideas and beautiful design with practical thinking and building knowledge. This wonderful tome is split into four comprehensive sections - on the history and basics of the shed; shed inspiration and style; the shed build; and some of Joel's most distinctive shed case studies - and is the perfect fireside read whether you're a seasoned shed-head or completely new to the joys of your own purpose-built haven, wherever and whatever that may be.

Tips from a Professional Organizer on How to Have an Organized Home"Real Life Organizing is a real solution to the clutter challenges we all face." Peter Walsh, New York Times best-selling author and organization expert #1 Best Seller in Do-It-Yourself Improvements, Small Spaces, and Decorating & Furnishings An organizing book with clutter-free solutions for keeping an organized home in just 15 minutes a day from a professional organizer and host of HGTV's HOT MESS HOUSE Create a Pinterest worthy home on a small budget. Learn how to organize your home, simplify life and have more time for things you love. Professional organizer Cassandra 'Cas' Aarssen, the guru from YouTube's ClutterBug channel and HGTV's Hot Mess House, reveals her tips, tricks and secrets to a clean and clutter free home in just 15 minutes a day. Simplify your life. In Real Life Organizing, Cas walks you through the steps to create a beautiful, organized, clutter free, and almost self-cleaning home. You don't have to get rid of all of your things, be a yoga loving minimalist, or radically change your lifestyle or personality. The truth is you do not need to actually be an organized person to live like an organized person. Organized home. Through years of experience as an industry expert, Cas has uncovered easy and inexpensive tips, tricks and solutions that enable her to maintain a clean, organized and functional home with minimal effort. After you've read Real Life Organizing, you too will be able to live a more organized life without having to give up your sanity. Learn how to: Create a Household Management Binder Make a "Kids Cupboard" in your kitchen Create an IN/OUT system Organize paperwork based on your unique style Create a Kitchen Command Center Organize your holidays with a gift closet Build a toy organizing system Also read Cas Aarssen's other bestselling home organizing books, Cluttered Mess to Organized Success, The Clutter Connection, and The Declutter Challenge.