Modern Plumbing

the book was more clear and direct then what my teacher was trying to explain to me. It helped me through class. I would reccommend this if you are just starting out.

I bought this book to teach myself plumbing skills, not for use in a classroom, but just for DIY information to maintain my home and rental property. I find that hiring plumbers is very expensive. It has a good overview of the plumbing field and introduces many topics such as connecting a home to the public sewer and water supply, a good discussion of fittings, and information on installing fixtures. I believe the book could have been much longer (compare this book's 600 pages to Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning - about 1200 pages)which would have allowed for more in depth coverage. I found myself wanting more detail in most of the 30 rather short chapters. The book probably works OK in a classroom with an instructor nearby to fill in the gaps and show actual examples of the pipe, fittings, fixtures, etc. In some cases terms are used before being defined and terms are used inconsistently which makes it hard for the self learner. Some of the explanations seem confusing. The book also probably works OK for an apprentice plumber who is working in the field. However it is probably not the best book for the self learner due to its lack of complete detail of the topics covered. The book is professionally presented with many color pictures, diagrams, etc. There are some typos but most are minor and do not affect the book's readability. Questions at the end of each chapter are good for assessing your understanding. I feel this book and many trips to Home Depot will help save me money on future plumbing jobs.

Whether you are a pro or a do-it-yourselfer, this book is an absolute must have for everything that has to do with plumbing. It takes you from design to implementation seemlessly and in plain english. Get yourself a copy and you'll never be in the dark about the how's and why's of all aspects of plumbing. Hope you enjoy as much as I did...