I picked this up from the library. I thought I could learn a few things from the abundant tips.

1. I came to appreciate how much trouble people in the extreme cold weather have to deal with, like frozen pipes, heating, ice dams and etc. Also, I’ve seen all the potential water/moisture issues associated with a basement. Not a good idea to buy a house with basement.

2. Concrete payment repair: Need to shape the concrete crack so that it’s wider at its base than its top to help the patch stay in place.

3. Reminding me to drain the hot water heater regularly (recommended monthly) to lengthen the life of the water heater. I just did this and it created such as mess!

4. The “healthy house” chapter gave a few tips on reducing allergy triggers like replacing air filter frequently, maintain good ventilation. Watch out for the VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) associated with new furniture purchases or constructions – off-gassing.

5. Clean up moisture quickly to avoid mold build up – maintain relative humidity of 30~50%. Use 1 part bleach and 4-part water to make a mold removal solution.

6. Use of graphite powder or talc to lubricate squeaky hardwood floor sounds like a good idea. I might give it a try.

7. For replacing mesh on a screen door – it’s a good idea to use 1 clamp at each corner to keep the mesh in place. I tried to do this once without the clamps and it wasn’t easy. Good tip.

Not bad to pick up a few tips after spending just a couple of hours on the book.