Introduction 5Anatomy of a House 6Framing 8Siding and roofing 10Plumbing 12Electricity 16Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning 18Indoor comfort systems 21Home Safety 22Detectors, sensors, alarms, oh my! 24Keeping intruders out 26Fire hazards and prevention 28Emergency preparedness 32Finding Help and Picking Tools 34Doing it yourself 36Hiring a contractor 40The essential household tool kit 42Walls, Ceilings, Cabinets, and Doors 56Repairing walls and ceilings 58Replacing cracked tiles 67Removing wallpaper 69Retexturing walls 70Installing wainscot 74Tiling a wall 77Hanging wallpaper 82Painting and staining 86Hanging heavy objects 99Installing baseboard 102Installing door trim 105Installing crown molding 107Givingyour cabinets a face-lift 110Easy upgrades: knobs, hinges, and plates 113Floors 116Wood 118Laminate 122Tile 123Vinyl 130Linoleum 132Cork 133Bamboo 134Carpet 135Plumbing 138Plumbing overview 140Toilets 143Fixing a leaky sink faucet 150Unclogging sink drains 154Tubs and showers 157Washing machines and dishwashers 162Garbage disposals 166Water heaters 168Preventing frozen pipes 170