Plumbing

This book discusses many plumbing projects, including those which usually are considered the provenance of professional plumbers. A section lists and illustrates all the tools needed for work. The diverse topics in this book include: emergency repairs, the thawing of frozen pipes, unclogging of pipes no matter the location of the blockage; repairing a water boiler, faucet, shower, toilet, etc. There is also a section on home improvements, including the construction of an underground sprinkler system for lawn or garden. There are many drawings which illustrate the procedures and the plumbing. Some are cutaways. Otherwise, components that are below ground or otherwise obscured by other things are shown in faded color or gray. The authors give words of encouragement to the novice. They point out that any job, when done for the first time, is difficult. It gets easier with experience.

I am the proud owner of the complete Home Improvement series by Time-Life Books. This book has come in handy more times than I can say. The house I bought is 100 years old and the plumbing was in very bad shape. Time-Life's "Plumbing" had tips and tricks for every plumbing repair or upgrade project I worked on.I like the new spiral bindings of this book. It allows the book to lay flat, without the pages turning on their own. The binding alone convinced me to update my library from the original hardcover series.The drawings are very helpful in showing you what you should be looking for. I like the drawing much better than photos...they leave out minor details that would otherwise get in the way, leaving only the important details that let you get the job finished quickly and easily.I recommend this book (and the entire series) to anyone interested in working on their home. Whether you are a beginner or experienced homeowner, this book will be the one you turn to for all your plumbing questions.