Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

An outstanding book!, 17 Jun 2007
This book is excellent for anyone wishing to find out more about the use of small-scale renewable energy systems. Whether you are a student studying renewable energy or a homeowner looking to install a system, you will find this book indispensable.

The author provides a superb commentary on a wide range of renewable systems, and manages to capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. Many pictures and diagrams are included to supplement the written explanations, and the book contains useful practical advice.

Most notably, the author has a clear aptitude and passion for renewable energy which will inspire any reader.

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

An outstanding book!, 17 Jun 2007
This book is excellent for anyone wishing to find out more about the use of small-scale renewable energy systems. Whether you are a student studying renewable energy or a homeowner looking to install a system, you will find this book indispensable.

The author provides a superb commentary on a wide range of renewable systems, and manages to capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. Many pictures and diagrams are included to supplement the written explanations, and the book contains useful practical advice.

Most notably, the author has a clear aptitude and passion for renewable energy which will inspire any reader.

Not enough fault finding, 11 May 2008
A lot of the book is taken up with bog standard items like pipe sizing, flues, health and safety, pipe freezers and "What is a Combi boiler" If you are CORGI registered you will know all of this and have a certificate to prove it. On a positive note the section on Fault Finding & Repair is brilliant, this guy knows his subject, I am disapointed, I would have liked more of it (fault finding)and less padding.

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

An outstanding book!, 17 Jun 2007
This book is excellent for anyone wishing to find out more about the use of small-scale renewable energy systems. Whether you are a student studying renewable energy or a homeowner looking to install a system, you will find this book indispensable.

The author provides a superb commentary on a wide range of renewable systems, and manages to capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. Many pictures and diagrams are included to supplement the written explanations, and the book contains useful practical advice.

Most notably, the author has a clear aptitude and passion for renewable energy which will inspire any reader.

Not enough fault finding, 11 May 2008
A lot of the book is taken up with bog standard items like pipe sizing, flues, health and safety, pipe freezers and "What is a Combi boiler" If you are CORGI registered you will know all of this and have a certificate to prove it. On a positive note the section on Fault Finding & Repair is brilliant, this guy knows his subject, I am disapointed, I would have liked more of it (fault finding)and less padding.

Sound information, 24 Jan 2007
This is an excellent book. Read, enjoyed, and lent to others who have also appreciated its wisdom.

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

An outstanding book!, 17 Jun 2007
This book is excellent for anyone wishing to find out more about the use of small-scale renewable energy systems. Whether you are a student studying renewable energy or a homeowner looking to install a system, you will find this book indispensable.

The author provides a superb commentary on a wide range of renewable systems, and manages to capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. Many pictures and diagrams are included to supplement the written explanations, and the book contains useful practical advice.

Most notably, the author has a clear aptitude and passion for renewable energy which will inspire any reader.

Not enough fault finding, 11 May 2008
A lot of the book is taken up with bog standard items like pipe sizing, flues, health and safety, pipe freezers and "What is a Combi boiler" If you are CORGI registered you will know all of this and have a certificate to prove it. On a positive note the section on Fault Finding & Repair is brilliant, this guy knows his subject, I am disapointed, I would have liked more of it (fault finding)and less padding.

Sound information, 24 Jan 2007
This is an excellent book. Read, enjoyed, and lent to others who have also appreciated its wisdom.

inspirational book, 16 Dec 2007
this book descibes different building techniques on build of one cottage/house, each wall is build in different method using eco friendly materials like wood, cob, straw.
4 methods used are straw bale, cob, cordwood and modified stick-frame, also shows you how to build green roof.
all in all very inspiring

A milestone for green building, 10 Feb 2006
This book delivers its message through 1200 clear colour photos depicting the process and details of building a cob, cordwood, strawbale or stickframe house. It is a reference, manual, and a great source of inspiration for anyone considering to build a house of natural materials.

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

An outstanding book!, 17 Jun 2007
This book is excellent for anyone wishing to find out more about the use of small-scale renewable energy systems. Whether you are a student studying renewable energy or a homeowner looking to install a system, you will find this book indispensable.

The author provides a superb commentary on a wide range of renewable systems, and manages to capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. Many pictures and diagrams are included to supplement the written explanations, and the book contains useful practical advice.

Most notably, the author has a clear aptitude and passion for renewable energy which will inspire any reader.

Not enough fault finding, 11 May 2008
A lot of the book is taken up with bog standard items like pipe sizing, flues, health and safety, pipe freezers and "What is a Combi boiler" If you are CORGI registered you will know all of this and have a certificate to prove it. On a positive note the section on Fault Finding & Repair is brilliant, this guy knows his subject, I am disapointed, I would have liked more of it (fault finding)and less padding.

Sound information, 24 Jan 2007
This is an excellent book. Read, enjoyed, and lent to others who have also appreciated its wisdom.

inspirational book, 16 Dec 2007
this book descibes different building techniques on build of one cottage/house, each wall is build in different method using eco friendly materials like wood, cob, straw.
4 methods used are straw bale, cob, cordwood and modified stick-frame, also shows you how to build green roof.
all in all very inspiring

A milestone for green building, 10 Feb 2006
This book delivers its message through 1200 clear colour photos depicting the process and details of building a cob, cordwood, strawbale or stickframe house. It is a reference, manual, and a great source of inspiration for anyone considering to build a house of natural materials.

Average. ok. mediocre. middling!, 22 Sep 2008
American publication and aimed at the American market. Wow, they use a lot of electricity so that puts some of the [rough] calculations in a different league to what I use at home and therefore much of it pretty irrelevant.

Ok as an introduction to the topic but nothing more. One or two good ideas and some things to get you thinking in "solar" terms.

Not very practical, 05 Sep 2008
This book was bought with the aim of using it as practical guide to purchase and installation of simple solar PV and water heating. Frankly the book is of little practical use, and for anyone with even basic knowledge, the level of information presented is very limited. There is not so much as a circuit diagram in anything but the most basic form.
Disappointing.

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

An outstanding book!, 17 Jun 2007
This book is excellent for anyone wishing to find out more about the use of small-scale renewable energy systems. Whether you are a student studying renewable energy or a homeowner looking to install a system, you will find this book indispensable.

The author provides a superb commentary on a wide range of renewable systems, and manages to capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. Many pictures and diagrams are included to supplement the written explanations, and the book contains useful practical advice.

Most notably, the author has a clear aptitude and passion for renewable energy which will inspire any reader.

Not enough fault finding, 11 May 2008
A lot of the book is taken up with bog standard items like pipe sizing, flues, health and safety, pipe freezers and "What is a Combi boiler" If you are CORGI registered you will know all of this and have a certificate to prove it. On a positive note the section on Fault Finding & Repair is brilliant, this guy knows his subject, I am disapointed, I would have liked more of it (fault finding)and less padding.

Sound information, 24 Jan 2007
This is an excellent book. Read, enjoyed, and lent to others who have also appreciated its wisdom.

inspirational book, 16 Dec 2007
this book descibes different building techniques on build of one cottage/house, each wall is build in different method using eco friendly materials like wood, cob, straw.
4 methods used are straw bale, cob, cordwood and modified stick-frame, also shows you how to build green roof.
all in all very inspiring

A milestone for green building, 10 Feb 2006
This book delivers its message through 1200 clear colour photos depicting the process and details of building a cob, cordwood, strawbale or stickframe house. It is a reference, manual, and a great source of inspiration for anyone considering to build a house of natural materials.

Average. ok. mediocre. middling!, 22 Sep 2008
American publication and aimed at the American market. Wow, they use a lot of electricity so that puts some of the [rough] calculations in a different league to what I use at home and therefore much of it pretty irrelevant.

Ok as an introduction to the topic but nothing more. One or two good ideas and some things to get you thinking in "solar" terms.

Not very practical, 05 Sep 2008
This book was bought with the aim of using it as practical guide to purchase and installation of simple solar PV and water heating. Frankly the book is of little practical use, and for anyone with even basic knowledge, the level of information presented is very limited. There is not so much as a circuit diagram in anything but the most basic form.
Disappointing.

Covers Most Areas Well, 09 Mar 2003
A well written books that cover all possibilities of home automation.

A bit US centric, but fine as long as you are aware of it.
Also a few years old, but also fine as the authors seemed to have estimated the future perfectly.

Covers what you want to know about settting up phone, tv, audio, security, X10, Wireless, dialup or broadband connections, etc etc,

Some very good points on your wiring, so read it before you do it!

I thought I had pretty good idea of how I was going to make my "Smart Home", but this book told me many things I was not aware of, or had the wrong opinions of.

It is a good read, especially as it doesnt cost the world.

First Impressions, 03 Jan 2003
Just received this book about 30 minutes ago. I ordered it because I am in the process of moving house and intend to re-wire the new house. I thought it would be a good idea to automate as much as possible and heard that X-10 was the route to go.

I found this book and thought it would be a good overview to the various protocols/technologies available to help me make a more informed decision about the work I am going to be doing.

So far, it has proved itself to be exactly that - a great overview and high-level guide.

Great ideas and information., 24 Jul 2001
I brought this just before re-wiring my house. I'm glad I did! I was just going to re-new the electrics and instal a few phone lines. It recommends Infra-red, data lines, intercomms, X 10, etc, etc. Much I never knew existed! Plenty of web addresses to explorer and ideas.

Great value for anyone building a new home or remodeling, 23 Aug 1999
Smart Homes for Dummies gives a great overview of the issues to consider when wiring a home. It will help you understand the major systems and make real world decisions on how to put it all together.

A must read for a wired home owner! Save 100s of $s & hrs!, 21 Jun 1999
If you're in the middle of wiring your house (or even just thinking about it), I urge you to read this book.

I wasted a lot of time chasing around when answers to nearly all of my questions were right in "Smart Homes" the whole time! After I got Smart Homes, I was able to make decisions much faster and avoided the expensive mistake of buying the wrong product.

I hope that you can learn from my mistake.

- Reid

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

An outstanding book!, 17 Jun 2007
This book is excellent for anyone wishing to find out more about the use of small-scale renewable energy systems. Whether you are a student studying renewable energy or a homeowner looking to install a system, you will find this book indispensable.

The author provides a superb commentary on a wide range of renewable systems, and manages to capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. Many pictures and diagrams are included to supplement the written explanations, and the book contains useful practical advice.

Most notably, the author has a clear aptitude and passion for renewable energy which will inspire any reader.

Not enough fault finding, 11 May 2008
A lot of the book is taken up with bog standard items like pipe sizing, flues, health and safety, pipe freezers and "What is a Combi boiler" If you are CORGI registered you will know all of this and have a certificate to prove it. On a positive note the section on Fault Finding & Repair is brilliant, this guy knows his subject, I am disapointed, I would have liked more of it (fault finding)and less padding.

Sound information, 24 Jan 2007
This is an excellent book. Read, enjoyed, and lent to others who have also appreciated its wisdom.

inspirational book, 16 Dec 2007
this book descibes different building techniques on build of one cottage/house, each wall is build in different method using eco friendly materials like wood, cob, straw.
4 methods used are straw bale, cob, cordwood and modified stick-frame, also shows you how to build green roof.
all in all very inspiring

A milestone for green building, 10 Feb 2006
This book delivers its message through 1200 clear colour photos depicting the process and details of building a cob, cordwood, strawbale or stickframe house. It is a reference, manual, and a great source of inspiration for anyone considering to build a house of natural materials.

Average. ok. mediocre. middling!, 22 Sep 2008
American publication and aimed at the American market. Wow, they use a lot of electricity so that puts some of the [rough] calculations in a different league to what I use at home and therefore much of it pretty irrelevant.

Ok as an introduction to the topic but nothing more. One or two good ideas and some things to get you thinking in "solar" terms.

Not very practical, 05 Sep 2008
This book was bought with the aim of using it as practical guide to purchase and installation of simple solar PV and water heating. Frankly the book is of little practical use, and for anyone with even basic knowledge, the level of information presented is very limited. There is not so much as a circuit diagram in anything but the most basic form.
Disappointing.

Covers Most Areas Well, 09 Mar 2003
A well written books that cover all possibilities of home automation.

A bit US centric, but fine as long as you are aware of it.
Also a few years old, but also fine as the authors seemed to have estimated the future perfectly.

Covers what you want to know about settting up phone, tv, audio, security, X10, Wireless, dialup or broadband connections, etc etc,

Some very good points on your wiring, so read it before you do it!

I thought I had pretty good idea of how I was going to make my "Smart Home", but this book told me many things I was not aware of, or had the wrong opinions of.

It is a good read, especially as it doesnt cost the world.

First Impressions, 03 Jan 2003
Just received this book about 30 minutes ago. I ordered it because I am in the process of moving house and intend to re-wire the new house. I thought it would be a good idea to automate as much as possible and heard that X-10 was the route to go.

I found this book and thought it would be a good overview to the various protocols/technologies available to help me make a more informed decision about the work I am going to be doing.

So far, it has proved itself to be exactly that - a great overview and high-level guide.

Great ideas and information., 24 Jul 2001
I brought this just before re-wiring my house. I'm glad I did! I was just going to re-new the electrics and instal a few phone lines. It recommends Infra-red, data lines, intercomms, X 10, etc, etc. Much I never knew existed! Plenty of web addresses to explorer and ideas.

Great value for anyone building a new home or remodeling, 23 Aug 1999
Smart Homes for Dummies gives a great overview of the issues to consider when wiring a home. It will help you understand the major systems and make real world decisions on how to put it all together.

A must read for a wired home owner! Save 100s of $s & hrs!, 21 Jun 1999
If you're in the middle of wiring your house (or even just thinking about it), I urge you to read this book.

I wasted a lot of time chasing around when answers to nearly all of my questions were right in "Smart Homes" the whole time! After I got Smart Homes, I was able to make decisions much faster and avoided the expensive mistake of buying the wrong product.

I hope that you can learn from my mistake.

- Reid

Well written just out of date, 27 Jan 2008
I have just purchased and swifty returned this book. Its now 2008 and the book was written in 1999. Wind energy has moved on along way since then!!

Gipe does a great job with the pages available, 15 Jun 1999
copyright 1999 by Mick Sagrillo

Paul Gipe's latest book, Wind Energy Basics, was published just this month (June). It is meant to be a companion to two of Gipe's previous publications, Wind Power for Home & Business, and Wind Energy Comes of Age.

While Wind Energy Basics is much slimmer than Gipe's prior tomes, this one is dedicated solely to home-sized and micro wind turbines. The text is richly peppered with photographs, schematics, and diagrams, all meant to stimulate the imagination of the reader. While not strictly a "how to" manual, there is enough motivating information included to keep a do-it-yourself wind aficionado busy for years.

Gipe begins with the usual chapters on wind fundamentals: power available in the wind, estimating performance, and a brief review of the technology. Of particular value are the photos of the dozens of commercially produced small turbines available from manufacturers worldwide. While pictures of these turbines can be found elsewhere, they rarely appear with actual people in them. Gipe's photos lend a sense of scale to the reader, helping the novice get some idea of exactly what she or he is getting themselves into.

Gipe then proceeds to chapters on off-grid applications and utility intertie systems. Again, Gipe does a good job of introducing the reader to what is possible. But because of the detailed complexity of such installations, Wind Energy Basics merely whets the reader's appetite for these topics. Anyone interested in delving deeper into the how's and why's of off-grid and utility intertie installations should proceed to Wind Power for Home & Business.

The chapters on siting, safety, and actually making a purchase give the reader a number of good tips worth remembering. My copy of Wind Energy Basics was immediately highlighted and "red-inked" as I went through these sections. There are several tables with realistic costs for the turbines, towers, and balance of system components. Since the book is geared towards the do-it-yourselfer, installation labor costs, the most nebulous cost to pin down in any home wind system, are not included.

The chapter on installing a small wind generator focuses on guyed tilt-up towers, ignoring the more usual freestanding or guyed lattice towers used on larger wind turbines. This was judicious on Gipe's part since the widespread use of small wind systems, especially with the off-grid PV (photovoltaic) crowd is inversely related to the height of the tower that needs to be climbed. By including a good photo sequence of his own tilt-up tower installation, Gipe is sure to instill confidence in the installation of a wind system by the most squeamish of non-climbers.

Finally, the appendices, unlike those of many other renewable energy books, are actually full of useful information. Gipe details the design characteristics of dozens of small and micro wind generators. In addition, all of the manufacturers contact information is listed, saving the reader hours of hunting for addresses, phone and fax numbers, plus web sites and e-mail addresses.

Limited to only 122 pages, Wind Energy Basics is unfortunately restricted in what it can present to the reader. However, Gipe does a great job with the pages available. While I've only had Wind Energy Basics for two weeks, I've already gone through it three times. Wind Energy Basics is definitely worth adding to your summer reading list whether you are planning on installing a small wind system in the near future or just interested in knowing more about micro turbines.

Paul Gipe has done a good job as usual., 29 May 1999
Paul Gipe has many years experience of keeping right on top of developments in this rapidly changing field. As always, he presents a thoughtful and detailed report. His independent perspective will be invaluable to newcomers to the subject, who may have been bombarded with sales propaganda by the small wind turbine industry. What wind turbines can do, how much it will cost, what are the other issues to consider... it's all there, in detail. This book prepares the reader to calculate how much energy he/she may harvest, from a planned wind installation. Then it spells out how to tackle the job of erecting the machine in a practical, down-to-earth way. Paul Gipe demystifies the unfamiliar world of small scale wind energy and makes it accessible to those who wish to enjoy it.

Inspirational, 11 Jul 2007
My partner and I were inspired to build our own house by the previous version of this book and now we are in this one so I think it's reasonable to call it inspiring.

This is a book with substance and great coffee table pictures as well. A good mix of technical advice and the stories of self builders written by a self builder and very experienced green Architect.

Great Reference, 21 Aug 2008
This is a great reference manual for both amateur or professional.

The book is easy to read and laid out nicely. The illustrations are graphically excellent and useful.

Central Heating Fault finding and repair, as the title suggests covers these key areas but also gives a great grounding on both central heating and plumbing systems in general.

I'm a Plumber and I'm not too proud to use this book, 19 Apr 2008
Despite being in the trade and we're supposed to know what we're doing, we all have the odd "bad day at the office" and this book has been invaluable to me. I have nipped out to the van "to get something i forgot" more than once and had a quick read and digest session as a reminder. Well worth the price if it gets you out of a hole just the once when it's getting late in the day and the customer wants the heating back on 'cos its cold out.

Your own plumber available 24/7!, 17 Feb 2008
This is a musthave book. As a keen DIY plumber,I am constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge of central heating and hot water systems as well as fault finding and diagnosis, and this book hits the nail firmly on the head. Within 20 minutes of owning my copy I had resolved a problem that had been nagging for several weeks!

The spiral binding is also a godsend, particularly when you're in the loft or the airing cupboard!

An excellent reference, 13 Jan 2005
This taught me loads of things I had expected to learn on my NVQ course but didn't - and some of it was new to the tutors as well!! (Backfilling a sluggish system saved me hours of frustration with radiators that wouldn't fill).
This book pulls together a lot of very useful information from various sources, combines it with a practical approach to diagnosis gained from years of experience, and puts it all together in one place in a logical, structured way.
It really "does what it says on the tin", basically covering in some detail:
1) What Central Heating is
2) What can go wrong with it
3) How to diagnose the fault
4) How to repair it
Fault finding diagrams are v. useful.
This book will be invaluable for DIYer and professional. Okay, if you've been in the business for 40 years you probably know all that's in here (and more), but then you wouldn't be looking for a book like this, would you?
To the rest of us, buy it now and keep it in the van!!

From Zero to Hero, 08 Jun 2004
I am not by nature a plumber.

I live in a two bedroomed apartment with a gas powered central heating system, which I inherited when I bought the place (my first) four years ago.

When it starting playing up I did what most people do, I ignored it.

Eventually, I had to either call out a plumber before it stopped working altogether or figure out why the pilot was lit but the place was cold.

I used the technique that I learnt in my younger days. A technique that I learnt to use to fix my first two cars . I bought the equivalent of the Haynes manual.

Haynes don't do a Central Heating Manual but these people do and whilst it doesn't have the oily photograph so that you can see exactly what the part really looks like, it covers the range of systems, rather than one model in an easy to understand way.

Took me back to the days when I replaced the piston on my Suzuki TS100 and got a re-bore. When I had finished, it worked.

A great book that I will make oily myself in time.

An outstanding book!, 17 Jun 2007
This book is excellent for anyone wishing to find out more about the use of small-scale renewable energy systems. Whether you are a student studying renewable energy or a homeowner looking to install a system, you will find this book indispensable.

The author provides a superb commentary on a wide range of renewable systems, and manages to capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. Many pictures and diagrams are included to supplement the written explanations, and the book contains useful practical advice.

Most notably, the author has a clear aptitude and passion for renewable energy which will inspire any reader.

Not enough fault finding, 11 May 2008
A lot of the book is taken up with bog standard items like pipe sizing, flues, health and safety, pipe freezers and "What is a Combi boiler" If you are CORGI registered you will know all of this and have a certificate to prove it. On a positive note the section on Fault Finding & Repair is brilliant, this guy knows his subject, I am disapointed, I would have liked more of it (fault finding)and less padding.

Sound information, 24 Jan 2007
This is an excellent book. Read, enjoyed, and lent to others who have also appreciated its wisdom.

inspirational book, 16 Dec 2007
this book descibes different building techniques on build of one cottage/house, each wall is build in different method using eco friendly materials like wood, cob, straw.
4 methods used are straw bale, cob, cordwood and modified stick-frame, also shows you how to build green roof.
all in all very inspiring

A milestone for green building, 10 Feb 2006
This book delivers its message through 1200 clear colour photos depicting the process and details of building a cob, cordwood, strawbale or stickframe house. It is a reference, manual, and a great source of inspiration for anyone considering to build a house of natural materials.

Average. ok. mediocre. middling!, 22 Sep 2008
American publication and aimed at the American market. Wow, they use a lot of electricity so that puts some of the [rough] calculations in a different league to what I use at home and therefore much of it pretty irrelevant.

Ok as an introduction to the topic but nothing more. One or two good ideas and some things to get you thinking in "solar" terms.

Not very practical, 05 Sep 2008
This book was bought with the aim of using it as practical guide to purchase and installation of simple solar PV and water heating. Frankly the book is of little practical use, and for anyone with even basic knowledge, the level of information presented is very limited. There is not so much as a circuit diagram in anything but the most basic form.
Disappointing.

Covers Most Areas Well, 09 Mar 2003
A well written books that cover all possibilities of home automation.

A bit US centric, but fine as long as you are aware of it.
Also a few years old, but also fine as the authors seemed to have estimated the future perfectly.

Covers what you want to know about settting up phone, tv, audio, security, X10, Wireless, dialup or broadband connections, etc etc,

Some very good points on your wiring, so read it before you do it!

I thought I had pretty good idea of how I was going to make my "Smart Home", but this book told me many things I was not aware of, or had the wrong opinions of.

It is a good read, especially as it doesnt cost the world.

First Impressions, 03 Jan 2003
Just received this book about 30 minutes ago. I ordered it because I am in the process of moving house and intend to re-wire the new house. I thought it would be a good idea to automate as much as possible and heard that X-10 was the route to go.

I found this book and thought it would be a good overview to the various protocols/technologies available to help me make a more informed decision about the work I am going to be doing.

So far, it has proved itself to be exactly that - a great overview and high-level guide.

Great ideas and information., 24 Jul 2001
I brought this just before re-wiring my house. I'm glad I did! I was just going to re-new the electrics and instal a few phone lines. It recommends Infra-red, data lines, intercomms, X 10, etc, etc. Much I never knew existed! Plenty of web addresses to explorer and ideas.

Great value for anyone building a new home or remodeling, 23 Aug 1999
Smart Homes for Dummies gives a great overview of the issues to consider when wiring a home. It will help you understand the major systems and make real world decisions on how to put it all together.

A must read for a wired home owner! Save 100s of $s & hrs!, 21 Jun 1999
If you're in the middle of wiring your house (or even just thinking about it), I urge you to read this book.

I wasted a lot of time chasing around when answers to nearly all of my questions were right in "Smart Homes" the whole time! After I got Smart Homes, I was able to make decisions much faster and avoided the expensive mistake of buying the wrong product.

I hope that you can learn from my mistake.

- Reid

Well written just out of date, 27 Jan 2008
I have just purchased and swifty returned this book. Its now 2008 and the book was written in 1999. Wind energy has moved on along way since then!!

Gipe does a great job with the pages available, 15 Jun 1999
copyright 1999 by Mick Sagrillo

Paul Gipe's latest book, Wind Energy Basics, was published just this month (June). It is meant to be a companion to two of Gipe's previous publications, Wind Power for Home & Business, and Wind Energy Comes of Age.

While Wind Energy Basics is much slimmer than Gipe's prior tomes, this one is dedicated solely to home-sized and micro wind turbines. The text is richly peppered with photographs, schematics, and diagrams, all meant to stimulate the imagination of the reader. While not strictly a "how to" manual, there is enough motivating information included to keep a do-it-yourself wind aficionado busy for years.

Gipe begins with the usual chapters on wind fundamentals: power available in the wind, estimating performance, and a brief review of the technology. Of particular value are the photos of the dozens of commercially produced small turbines available from manufacturers worldwide. While pictures of these turbines can be found elsewhere, they rarely appear with actual people in them. Gipe's photos lend a sense of scale to the reader, helping the novice get some idea of exactly what she or he is getting themselves into.

Gipe then proceeds to chapters on off-grid applications and utility intertie systems. Again, Gipe does a good job of introducing the reader to what is possible. But because of the detailed complexity of such installations, Wind Energy Basics merely whets the reader's appetite for these topics. Anyone interested in delving deeper into the how's and why's of off-grid and utility intertie installations should proceed to Wind Power for Home & Business.

The chapters on siting, safety, and actually making a purchase give the reader a number of good tips worth remembering. My copy of Wind Energy Basics was immediately highlighted and "red-inked" as I went through these sections. There are several tables with realistic costs for the turbines, towers, and balance of system components. Since the book is geared towards the do-it-yourselfer, installation labor costs, the most nebulous cost to pin down in any home wind system, are not included.

The chapter on installing a small wind generator focuses on guyed tilt-up towers, ignoring the more usual freestanding or guyed lattice towers used on larger wind turbines. This was judicious on Gipe's part since the widespread use of small wind systems, especially with the off-grid PV (photovoltaic) crowd is inversely related to the height of the tower that needs to be climbed. By including a good photo sequence of his own tilt-up tower installation, Gipe is sure to instill confidence in the installation of a wind system by the most squeamish of non-climbers.

Finally, the appendices, unlike those of many other renewable energy books, are actually full of useful information. Gipe details the design characteristics of dozens of small and micro wind generators. In addition, all of the manufacturers contact information is listed, saving the reader hours of hunting for addresses, phone and fax numbers, plus web sites and e-mail addresses.

Limited to only 122 pages, Wind Energy Basics is unfortunately restricted in what it can present to the reader. However, Gipe does a great job with the pages available. While I've only had Wind Energy Basics for two weeks, I've already gone through it three times. Wind Energy Basics is definitely worth adding to your summer reading list whether you are planning on installing a small wind system in the near future or just interested in knowing more about micro turbines.

Paul Gipe has done a good job as usual., 29 May 1999
Paul Gipe has many years experience of keeping right on top of developments in this rapidly changing field. As always, he presents a thoughtful and detailed report. His independent perspective will be invaluable to newcomers to the subject, who may have been bombarded with sales propaganda by the small wind turbine industry. What wind turbines can do, how much it will cost, what are the other issues to consider... it's all there, in detail. This book prepares the reader to calculate how much energy he/she may harvest, from a planned wind installation. Then it spells out how to tackle the job of erecting the machine in a practical, down-to-earth way. Paul Gipe demystifies the unfamiliar world of small scale wind energy and makes it accessible to those who wish to enjoy it.

Excellent resource material for self-build , 12 May 2008
As a renewable energy skills training provider we at PPL Training, based in York, strongly recommend this book. It is from a builder's perspective rather than from designers one. The 'on the tools' approach is straight forward and informative. If you are thinking of a green self-build project or a current trade's person wanting to get into the green build market then this book is definitely the one to go for.