A/C & Cooling
Air & Water Quality
Appliances
Basement, Attic & Loft
Bathrooms
Cabinets & Countertops
Car, Garage & Shop
Childproofing
Closets & Storage
Decorating & Furnishing
Design, Plan, Build
Doors
Electrical & Lighting
Floors & Stairs
Green Home, Save Energy
Heating & Fireplaces
Home Tech
Kitchens
Landscape & Structures
Lawn & Garden
Paint & Painting
Plumbing & Fixtures
Pools, Spas & Saunas
Real Estate & Finance
Roof, Chimney & Gutters
Safe & Secure Home
Siding, Columns & Detail
Walls & Ceilings
Windows & Skylights
Home
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How It Works
How It Works
This visual dictionary of your house shows how all of the systems work, from Attic ventilation to Zone heating. It will help you to talk knowledgeably to contractors and other professionals and understand problems when things go wrong.
Appliances
Clothes dryers and washers, freezers, refrigerators, disposals, dishwashers, vacuum systems, water heaters, and more
Electrical Systems
Electrical systems, switches, receptacles, circuit breakers, conventional lighting, fluorescent lights, doorbells, telephones
Plumbing Systems
Drains, faucets, toilets, tubs, showers, water supply system, septic tanks, sprinklers, piping
Walls, Floors, Surfaces
Cabinets, counters, carpets, floors, stairs, tile, grout, wallboard, plaster, wallpaper, woodwork
Heating, Cooling, Energy
Air conditioners, forced-air heating, radiant heating, thermostats, fans, ventilation, and related equipment
Structural Elements
Typical house framing, walls, roof framing, bearing and non-bearing walls, foundations, and other structure
Yard & Garden
Barbecues, decks, fences, outdoor lighting, trellises, pools, water features, sprinkler systems, and more
House Exterior Shell
Roofing, siding, skylights, windows, doors, architectural detailing, insulation, locks, security, and more