A hands-on, step-by-step guide to properly maintaining your home

Your home requires regular maintenance to operate safely and efficiently. The expert advice in this second edition of Home Maintenance For Dummies can help you save literally thousands of dollars each year by showing you how to perform home maintenance yourself

This new edition provides the latest tips on how to tune up your home and make repairs to every room of the house, from basement to attic. By combining step-by-step instructions and expert information, this practical guide gives you the skills to tackle everything from furnace tune-ups to leaky roofs. You'll also learn how to conduct routine inspections, keep major appliances running efficiently, and increase energy efficiency.

• Shows how to keep your home in tip-top shape, preserve its value, and avoid costly repairs
• Covers all rooms of the house, in addition to the roof, foundation, and exterior
• Explains how to keep all home systems and major appliances running smoothly
• Includes a seasonal maintenance schedule
• Provides the latest green maintenance options to help lower your utility bills

James Carey and Morris Carey have a radio show, a newspaper column, and a Web site, all called On the House, and appear regularly on CBS News Saturday Morning. They are also the authors of Home Remodeling For Dummies

If you've always wanted to tackle home repairs like a pro, Home Maintenance For Dummies, 2nd Edition is your ideal resource

The easy way to keep your home in tip-top shape!

Just like a car, a home requires regular maintenance to operate safely and efficiently. Home Maintenance For Dummies, 2nd Edition, gives you the latest tips and advice on how to inspect, tune up, and make repairs to every part of your house! You'll get expert, step-by-step information that will empower you to roll up your sleeves and make your home safer, more comfortable, and more energy efficient.

• Home maintenance and you -- practical information on the benefits of home maintenance and the major systems and components in your home

• The energy envelope -- guidance on understanding your home's exterior surfaces and associated components, like windows and doors, the roof, the basement, and the foundation

• Plumbing and HVAC -- instructions on how to tackle problems with mechanical equipment, common household appliances, and heating and cooling systems

Open the book and find:

• Ten home maintenance skills you'll be glad to have

• Tips on preserving your home's value and avoiding costly repairs

• Green maintenance and cleaning options

• Tips on day-to-day repairs from walls and appliances to decks and fences

• Straightforward advice on what you can tackle yourself and when you should call a pro

• Step-by-step instructions on everything from replacing a furnace filter to insulating your home