Help, It's Broken!: A Fix-It Bible for the Repair-Impaired

by Arianne Cohen

Repair Advice for the Real World

Do you need Help?

1. When faced with unassembled furniture, your first instinct is
(a) stare blankly
(b) panic
(c) return it

2. You associate screwdrivers mainly
(a) vodka
(b) orange juice

3. You have often wished your living space did not
(a) exploding toilets
(b) wildly varying temperatures
(c) a new pet mouse

If you chose any of the above, this is the book for you!


Whether you live in a house, an apartment, or a 9 x 12 dorm room, chances are pretty good that sooner or later, something in your home will break. So why not be prepared? If you can barely tell a nut from a bolt, then Help, It’s Broken! is your quick reference for all home-repair issues. Expert Arianne Cohen explains what to do in dozens of real-life scenarios, including

•your favorite earring slips down the sink

•your key sticks in the front door lock

•your air conditioner stops cooling in mid-August

•you’ve painted the bedroom window shut

Illustrated throughout, this handy reference also includes tips on security and pest control, plus a useful yearly maintenance calendar and resource guide. Best of all, Help, It’s Broken! shows you not only how to fix it all yourself but how to get other people to fix things for you—on the cheap, or even better, for free.

A Great Housewarming Gift

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 2005

Reviews

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a survival guide for anyone who starts to panic when the sink-bathroom, tub, kitchen-fills up. Or there's a strange rattling somewhere. Or the smoke alarms go off all at once (but there can't be a fire!).
Now that I'm a single girrrrl again, I need this book to truly empower me! Also great for absent minded professors, computer nerds, distracted dreamers or people who do have some good basic skills but would prefer not to hire out for something more intense.
Witty, but not condescending, with very useful diagrams and tables. The back of the book says it, and I agree-the perfect housewarming gift-unless, of course, there is a very capable DIY person in the house who would be offended.
Previewed from my beloved library (try to love your library, too) and just bought yesterday (8/6). I WILL be fixing my leaky shower head this week!

[Louise Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for someone like me who is really intimidated by home repairs. Not only does it provide basic easy to understand instructions but it does so in a nonjudgmental manner. I especially like the guide to which tools are necessary to complete a job.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and informative. This book covers most common repairs with good basic information and perhaps most importantly, advice on when to call in outside help. Not an in-depth procedure manual, but very useful and easy to understand.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Snarky and informative.

[Mark]

Seems quite useful but I don't really appreciate the author's humor. Still, probably useful.