Plumbing Do-It-Yourself For Dummies [Paperback]

Donald R. Prestly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 2007

Want to save time, money, and frustration on plumbing repair and replacement? Do it yourself! Plumbing Do-It-Yourself For Dummies turns even the most daunting household plumbing project into a simple, step-by-step process that delivers professional-quality results at a fraction of what you'd have to pay a plumber—and you won't have to wait weeks for an appointment.

From fixing leaks and drips to caulking a tub or shower, to replacing a faucet, you'll discover how to tackle 40 of the most common plumbing jobs in your home. Easy-to-follow, detailed instructions and hundreds of photos and illustrations guide you through each task. And, you'll even discover what surprises to expect and how to prepare for them. This user-friendly guide delivers all the help you need to:

• Understand your home's plumbing system
• Comply with local plumbing codes
• Fill your plumbing toolbox—including safety equipment
• Organize, plan, and prepare for your plumbing job
• Repair and upgrade faucets of all kinds
• Unclog drains, traps, and toilets
• Replace toilet parts and fix leaky tanks and bowls
• Stop toilet tanks from sweating
• Deal with noisy, sweaty, and frozen pipes
• Replace a dishwasher or garbage disposal

Complete with a helpful primer on choosing the right pipes and fittings for your project and understanding your home's supply and drain-waste-vent systems, Plumbing Do-It-Yourself for Dummies is the one tool you must have before starting any household plumbing project.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Do-it-Yourself

Keep your drains flowing and repair your leaky spouts like a pro!

Have you ever had a plumber fix your home's pipes and afterward said, "I could've done that!" Now you can do it yourself!

From fixing leaks and drips to caulking a tub or replacing a faucet, tackle the most common kitchen and bathroom plumbing projects in your own home. This one-stop resource features step-by-step instructions, along with detailed photos and illustrations to confidently walk you through over 40 tasks — and leaves no faucet unturned.

Stuff you need to know:

• Discover what belongs in your toolbox

• Deal with noisy, sweaty, and frozen pipes

• Keep your toilet running properly

• Repair a leaky faucet

• Unclog sink and toilet drains

About the Author

Donald R. Prestly is a former Senior Editor for HANDY Magazine for The Handyman Club of America as well as a former Associate Editor for The Family Handyman Magazine. In addition to nearly 20 years of writing and doing home improvement projects, he spent several years as a manager for one of the Midwest’s largest home centers. Throw in the everyday upkeep requirements of being a homeowner, dealing with the same problems and repairs as other homeowners, and it’s clear that he has the background and expertise to help do-it-yourselfers tackle home plumbing repairs. Plumbing Do-It-Yourself For Dummies is Don’s second For Dummies book; he’s also the author of Kitchen Remodeling For Dummies, published in 2003.

Product Details

• Paperback: 170 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (November 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470173440
• ISBN-13: 978-0470173442
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Plumbing & Household Automation

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for the "home repair challenged" like me..., December 27, 2007

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Plumbing Do-It-Yourself For Dummies (Paperback)

If you've hung around my blog very much, you're well aware of the fact that me and home repair projects don't normally mix. I don't know what it is, but you put hardware in my hands, and I become a bumbling idiot. Plumbing Do-It-Yourself For Dummies by Donald R. Prestly is the *perfect* approach to plumbing fix-it jobs for someone like me. It's short, concise, has plenty of pictures, and explains just enough to make me think that it's possible to pull off the unlikely/impossible... a plumbing repair that doesn't stretch into a multi-hour marathon of frustration and humiliation.

Contents:
Part 1 - Getting to Know Your Plumbing System: Understanding Plumbing; Fetch Me My Pipe and Fittings!; Getting the 411 on Codes and Requirements; Filling Your Plumbing Toolbox
Part 2 - Faucets and Sinks: Cleaning a Faucet Aerator and Sink Sprayer; Repairing a Leaky Rotary Ball Faucet; Repairing a Leaky Cartridge Filter Faucet; Repairing a Leaky Ceramic Disk Faucet; Repairing a Leaky Compression Faucet; Repairing a Leaky Two-Handle Faucet Spout; Caulking around a Sink Bowl; Replacing a Leaky Sink Basket; Replacing a Sink Trap; Replacing a Double-Bowl Kitchen Sink Drain; Replacing a Bathroom Sink Drain; Adjusting a Pop-Up Drain; Unclogging Sink Drains; Soldering Copper Pipes
Part 3 - Tubs and Showers: Caulking the Tub, Tile, and Fixtures; Replacing a Tub Spout; Replacing a Showerhead; Repairing a Tub and Shower Compression Faucet; Repairing a Cartridge Shower Faucet; Repairing a Disk Shower Faucet; Repairing a Cartridge/Seat-Spring Faucet; Adjusting a Tub Drain; Unclogging Tub and Shower Drains
Part 4 - Toilets: Checking a Toilet for Leaks; Replacing a Fill Valve; Replacing a Flush Valve; Replacing A Flapper; Adjusting the Tank's Water Level; Repairing a Leaky Tank; Repairing a Leaky Bowl; Stopping a Tank from Sweating; Replacing a Toilet Seat; Unclogging a Toilet with a Plunger; Clearing a Clog with a Closet Auger
Part 5 - The Part of Tens: Ten Tips for Plumbing Success; Ten Tips for Dealing with Problematic Pipes; Ten Safety Considerations
Index

The first part of the book starts out with the general layout of a household plumbing system, and why things like drain, waste, and vent systems are necessary. He also goes into what tools are essential when it comes to plumbing repairs. That's probably the first really helpful thing for me, as my tool collection is... "lacking", and going to a store doesn't necessarily tell you why you'd need something like a spud wrench. The following sections get into the details of specific repair jobs, complete with photos (not generalized line drawings), a list of tools you'll need, materials you'll have to use, and how long it *should* take. Knowing me, I'd double that last figure, and then double it again. And if I beat that time, I'd be feeling real "manly". :) I really wish I'd have had this book when we replaced our toilet. My wife and I would have resumed talking to each other much sooner...

The Part of Tens section is also useful for those little gems that you don't think of when you start a project... like trying to start and finish your project during store hours so you don't end up stuck overnight with no toilet or water pressure in the house. Also there's the advice to buy the *right* tools for the job at hand, and add to the collection as you do new projects. I won't tell you what I've ended up using pipe wrenches for when certain other tools are not available to me.

I'm sure all the home repair experts are probably thinking I'm a major wuss when it comes to fixing stuff. They'd be right. But with a book like this, I'm inspired to at least give the repair a try before springing for the cost of a professional. Although the whole propane blow-torch thing? I don't think so...

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource for all your plumbing woes!, April 2, 2009

By 

Elizabeth E. Haney "Cat & Candle" (Whitney, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Plumbing Do-It-Yourself For Dummies (Paperback)

This books is a lifesaver for all of us who want to do minor plumbing repairs with little or no knowledge of how to go about the fix. Great book that details the steps, tools and procedures with pictures that guide you through the ordeal.

1.0 out of 5 stars A lot of information and still no help, January 12, 2012

By 

Tucker (Taunton, MA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Plumbing Do-It-Yourself For Dummies (Paperback)

This book is full of useful information....unfortunately the one piece of information I was looking for (replacing a faucet fixture for the bathroom sink) is nowhere to be found in the book, thus making it completely useless. There's money thrown in the waste basket....which is where this book is as well.