How Your House Works
A Visual Guide to Understanding and Maintaining Your Home
4th Edition
Published on 22. September 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-1-394-21332-0 (ISBN)
Description
FIX IT. MAINTAIN IT. UNDERSTAND IT. THE LATEST EDITION OF THE BESTSELLING VISUAL GUIDE FOR ALL HOMEOWNERS.
Most people will never make a more important purchase than a house; properly understanding and maintaining your home can be a fundamental component of a financially sound life. Most homeowners, however, rely on contractors and building engineers to understand the systems that comprise a modern home. There is an urgent need for a guide which makes these essential systems transparent to the general consumer.
How Your House Works provides a working overview of all the basic systems that make up your home, from electrical systems to HVAC to plumbing and beyond. Richly illustrated and with clear, accessible language, this book demystifies the foundations of home ownership and puts you in control of the structures that make your house work.
Readers of the fourth edition of How Your House Works will also find:
New chapters on household batteries
Expanded sections pertaining to smart home technology and sustainability
Detailed, full-color illustrations by the author
How Your House Works is a must-have for any homeowner or prospective buyer.
Most people will never make a more important purchase than a house; properly understanding and maintaining your home can be a fundamental component of a financially sound life. Most homeowners, however, rely on contractors and building engineers to understand the systems that comprise a modern home. There is an urgent need for a guide which makes these essential systems transparent to the general consumer.
How Your House Works provides a working overview of all the basic systems that make up your home, from electrical systems to HVAC to plumbing and beyond. Richly illustrated and with clear, accessible language, this book demystifies the foundations of home ownership and puts you in control of the structures that make your house work.
Readers of the fourth edition of How Your House Works will also find:
New chapters on household batteries
Expanded sections pertaining to smart home technology and sustainability
Detailed, full-color illustrations by the author
How Your House Works is a must-have for any homeowner or prospective buyer.
More details
Series
Edition
4th edition
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
John Wiley & Sons Inc
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 274 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
738 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-394-21332-0 (9781394213320)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Previous edition
Book
08/2018
3rd Edition
R.S. Means Company Ltd
€29.65
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Charlie Wing, PhD, is a nationally recognized authority on home rebuilding, remodeling, repair, and energy conservation. He has been a Principal Investigator in NASA's Apollo Lunar Program and a Physics Instructor at Bowdoin College, cofounded the first two owner-builder schools in the USA, and hosted a PBS national TV series called Housewarming with Charlie Wing. He has published numerous books on home ownership and home repair.
Content
Introduction xiii
About the Author xv
A Note from the Author xvii
Chapter 1 Plumbing 1
The Supply System 2
The Waste System 4
The Vent System 6
Private Septic System 8
Lavatory Pop-up Drain 10
Plunger-Type Tub Drain 12
Pop-up Tub Drain 13
Older Gravity Flow Toilet 14
Water-Saving Toilet 16
Composting Toilet 18
Traps & Vents 19
Ball-Type Faucet 20
Cartridge-Type Faucet 21
Disk-Type Faucet 22
Compression-Type Faucet 23
Tempering Valve 24
Tub/Shower Control 25
Hose Bibbs 26
Pitcher (Hand) Pump 27
Jet Pump 28
Submersible Pump 30
Sump Pump 32
Pressure Tank 33
Gas Water Heater 34
Gas Tankless Heater 35
Electric Water Heater 36
Electric Tankless Heater 37
BoilerMate (TM) Water Heater 38
Heat Pump Water Heater 39
Water Softener 40
Charcoal Cartridge Filter 42
Tank Filter 43
Reverse Osmosis Filter 44
UV Purifier 45
Fire Sprinkler 46
Chapter 2 Wiring 47
Electrical Circuit 48
Ohm's Law 49
Using a Multimeter 50
Testing DC Circuits 52
Testing AC Circuits 53
120 & 240 Vac 54
Circuit Breakers & Fuses 55
Service Drop 56
Electromechanical Meter 57
Smart Meter 58
Circuit Grounding 59
Electrical Panels 60
Receptacle 62
Gfci 64
Afci 65
Required GFCIs/AFCIs 66
Single-Pole Switch 68
3- & 4-Way Switches 70
Ceiling Fan/Light Switch 72
Dimmer Switch 74
Motion-Activated Switch 76
Flush-Mount Light Fixture 78
Hanging Ceiling Fixture 79
Floor & Table Lamps 80
Fluorescent Lamps 81
LED Lamp 82
CO Detector 84
Battery Smoke Detector 85
Wired Smoke Detectors 86
The Smart Home 88
Chapter 3 Heating 91
Gas Warm Air Furnace 92
Gas Hot Water Boiler 93
Oil Warm Air Furnace 94
Oil Hot Water Boiler 95
Oil Burner 96
Fuel Oil Filter 97
Air-Source Heat Pump 98
Ground-Source Heat Pump 100
Mini-Split Heat Pump 102
Ventless Gas Heater 104
Direct-Vent Gas Heater 106
Direct-Vent Gas Fireplace 107
Pellet Stove 108
Air-Tight Wood Stove 110
Traditional Fireplace 111
Wood Stove in Fireplace 112
Electric Baseboard 113
Hydronic Distribution 114
Warm Air Distribution 115
Hot Water Radiant Heat 116
Digital Clock Thermostat 118
Bimetallic Thermostat 119
Chapter 4 Cooling 121
Natural Ventilation 122
Ceiling Fan 123
Whole-House Fan 124
Window Air Conditioner 125
Central Air Conditioner 126
Heat Pump Cooling 127
Evaporative Cooler 128
Chapter 5 Air Quality 129
Moisture & Mold 130
Humidifier 132
Dehumidifier 133
Furnace Filter 134
Electronic Air Cleaner 135
Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger 136
Chapter 6 Appliances 137
Dishwasher 138
Front-Loading Washer 140
Top-Loading Washer 142
Electric Dryer 144
Gas Dryer 145
Electric Range/Oven 146
Induction Stove 148
Gas Range/Oven 150
Coffee Makers 152
Microwave Oven 154
Garbage Disposer 155
Refrigerator/Freezer 156
Icemaker 158
Trash Compactor 159
Vacuum Cleaners 160
Chapter 7 Windows & Doors 163
Double-Hung Window 164
Low-E Windows 166
DIY Window Insulation 168
Cylinder Lock 170
Deadbolt & Keyed Knob 171
Garage Door Opener 172
Chapter 8 Foundation & Frame 175
Footing 176
Drainage 177
Radon Abatement 178
Slab Foundation 179
Crawl Space Foundation 180
Grade Beam Foundation 181
Full Foundation 182
Pier Foundation 183
Forces on the Frame 184
Beams in Bending 186
Framing Members 188
Post & Beam Frame 190
Plank & Beam Frame 191
Balloon Frame 192
Platform Frame 193
Advanced (OVE) Frame 194
Chapter 9 The Solar Home 195
Passive Solar Heating 196
Solar Pool Heater 198
Solar Water Heater 199
Photovoltaic Power 200
Chapter 10 Outdoor Equipment 207
4-Cycle Gasoline Engine 208
2-Cycle Gasoline Engine 210
Gasoline Chain Saw 212
Gasoline Lawn Mower 214
Gasoline String Trimmer 216
Gasoline Leaf Blower 217
Cordless Equipment 218
Portable Backup Power 220
Lawn Sprinkler System 222
Pool Pump & Filter 223
Appendix A Batteries 225
Lead-Acid 226
Alkaline 228
Lithium-ion 230
Button Cells 232
Appendix B Fasteners 233
Screws 234
Bolts 235
Nuts 236
Drives and Washers 237
Special Fasteners 238
Appendix C Adhesives 239
All About Adhesives 240
Choosing the Adhesive 242
Appendix D A Home Tool Bag 243
Gripping & Tightening 244
Drilling & Cutting 245
Fastening & Smoothing 246
Measuring & Electrical 247
Miscellaneous Tools 248
Index 249
About the Author xv
A Note from the Author xvii
Chapter 1 Plumbing 1
The Supply System 2
The Waste System 4
The Vent System 6
Private Septic System 8
Lavatory Pop-up Drain 10
Plunger-Type Tub Drain 12
Pop-up Tub Drain 13
Older Gravity Flow Toilet 14
Water-Saving Toilet 16
Composting Toilet 18
Traps & Vents 19
Ball-Type Faucet 20
Cartridge-Type Faucet 21
Disk-Type Faucet 22
Compression-Type Faucet 23
Tempering Valve 24
Tub/Shower Control 25
Hose Bibbs 26
Pitcher (Hand) Pump 27
Jet Pump 28
Submersible Pump 30
Sump Pump 32
Pressure Tank 33
Gas Water Heater 34
Gas Tankless Heater 35
Electric Water Heater 36
Electric Tankless Heater 37
BoilerMate (TM) Water Heater 38
Heat Pump Water Heater 39
Water Softener 40
Charcoal Cartridge Filter 42
Tank Filter 43
Reverse Osmosis Filter 44
UV Purifier 45
Fire Sprinkler 46
Chapter 2 Wiring 47
Electrical Circuit 48
Ohm's Law 49
Using a Multimeter 50
Testing DC Circuits 52
Testing AC Circuits 53
120 & 240 Vac 54
Circuit Breakers & Fuses 55
Service Drop 56
Electromechanical Meter 57
Smart Meter 58
Circuit Grounding 59
Electrical Panels 60
Receptacle 62
Gfci 64
Afci 65
Required GFCIs/AFCIs 66
Single-Pole Switch 68
3- & 4-Way Switches 70
Ceiling Fan/Light Switch 72
Dimmer Switch 74
Motion-Activated Switch 76
Flush-Mount Light Fixture 78
Hanging Ceiling Fixture 79
Floor & Table Lamps 80
Fluorescent Lamps 81
LED Lamp 82
CO Detector 84
Battery Smoke Detector 85
Wired Smoke Detectors 86
The Smart Home 88
Chapter 3 Heating 91
Gas Warm Air Furnace 92
Gas Hot Water Boiler 93
Oil Warm Air Furnace 94
Oil Hot Water Boiler 95
Oil Burner 96
Fuel Oil Filter 97
Air-Source Heat Pump 98
Ground-Source Heat Pump 100
Mini-Split Heat Pump 102
Ventless Gas Heater 104
Direct-Vent Gas Heater 106
Direct-Vent Gas Fireplace 107
Pellet Stove 108
Air-Tight Wood Stove 110
Traditional Fireplace 111
Wood Stove in Fireplace 112
Electric Baseboard 113
Hydronic Distribution 114
Warm Air Distribution 115
Hot Water Radiant Heat 116
Digital Clock Thermostat 118
Bimetallic Thermostat 119
Chapter 4 Cooling 121
Natural Ventilation 122
Ceiling Fan 123
Whole-House Fan 124
Window Air Conditioner 125
Central Air Conditioner 126
Heat Pump Cooling 127
Evaporative Cooler 128
Chapter 5 Air Quality 129
Moisture & Mold 130
Humidifier 132
Dehumidifier 133
Furnace Filter 134
Electronic Air Cleaner 135
Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger 136
Chapter 6 Appliances 137
Dishwasher 138
Front-Loading Washer 140
Top-Loading Washer 142
Electric Dryer 144
Gas Dryer 145
Electric Range/Oven 146
Induction Stove 148
Gas Range/Oven 150
Coffee Makers 152
Microwave Oven 154
Garbage Disposer 155
Refrigerator/Freezer 156
Icemaker 158
Trash Compactor 159
Vacuum Cleaners 160
Chapter 7 Windows & Doors 163
Double-Hung Window 164
Low-E Windows 166
DIY Window Insulation 168
Cylinder Lock 170
Deadbolt & Keyed Knob 171
Garage Door Opener 172
Chapter 8 Foundation & Frame 175
Footing 176
Drainage 177
Radon Abatement 178
Slab Foundation 179
Crawl Space Foundation 180
Grade Beam Foundation 181
Full Foundation 182
Pier Foundation 183
Forces on the Frame 184
Beams in Bending 186
Framing Members 188
Post & Beam Frame 190
Plank & Beam Frame 191
Balloon Frame 192
Platform Frame 193
Advanced (OVE) Frame 194
Chapter 9 The Solar Home 195
Passive Solar Heating 196
Solar Pool Heater 198
Solar Water Heater 199
Photovoltaic Power 200
Chapter 10 Outdoor Equipment 207
4-Cycle Gasoline Engine 208
2-Cycle Gasoline Engine 210
Gasoline Chain Saw 212
Gasoline Lawn Mower 214
Gasoline String Trimmer 216
Gasoline Leaf Blower 217
Cordless Equipment 218
Portable Backup Power 220
Lawn Sprinkler System 222
Pool Pump & Filter 223
Appendix A Batteries 225
Lead-Acid 226
Alkaline 228
Lithium-ion 230
Button Cells 232
Appendix B Fasteners 233
Screws 234
Bolts 235
Nuts 236
Drives and Washers 237
Special Fasteners 238
Appendix C Adhesives 239
All About Adhesives 240
Choosing the Adhesive 242
Appendix D A Home Tool Bag 243
Gripping & Tightening 244
Drilling & Cutting 245
Fastening & Smoothing 246
Measuring & Electrical 247
Miscellaneous Tools 248
Index 249