Home Heating and Air Conditioning Systems is written for the homeowner/handyperson who is interested in maintaining, altering or installing heating or cooling equipment. The book shows how to do a procedure the easiest, best and fastest way. Many of the procedures are illustrated, and diagrams are furnished to accompany the written instructions. Chapters 1 and 2 cover safety precautions and selecting and using tools correctly. Chapters 3 and 4 explain how to detect faulty installations and how to evaluate gas- and oil-fired furnaces. Chapter 5 explains how different heating systems work and provides practical advice for choosing a new system or upgrading an older one. In Chapters 6 and 7, you will learn how to install an oil-fired furnace and replace a boiler. The book also provides information on how to install central air conditioning and window units, as well as a complete chapter on using a heat pump for supplemental heat or alone.

No do-it-yourselfer should be without this comprehensive, up-to-date guide to working with residential heating and cooling systems—electric resistance, oil, gas, hot water, and hot air heating . . . central air and window units . . . heat pumps . . . space heaters and wood stoves . . . humidifiers and dehumidifiers . . . attic fans . . . and much more!

With Kittle's step-by-step illustrated instructions, you can:

• Evaluate your present heating and cooling systems
• Choose and operate the necessary tools
• Select the right systems for your home
• Safely wire heating and air conditioning equipment
• Troubleshoot and correct faulty, substandard installations
• Maintain systems and make minor repairs
• Install an oil-fired furnace or replacement boiler
• Install a central air-conditioning system

From the Introduction:
Many how-to books on heating and air conditioning systems are on the market today. Although many are well written and illustrated, others have poor or stylized drawings that do not resemble actual objects. More important, most are not written by people who have "worked with the tools," but by writers who obtain information from journeymen, inspectors, engineers and others who are knowledgeable in their field. Often, these types of how-to books are based on second hand accounts and, at best, are not always correctly written or explained.

This book is written for the homeowner/handyperson who is interested in maintaining, altering or installing heating or cooling equipment in their own home. Every government entity, whether township, city or county, has rules that prohibit anyone who is not licensed from working on electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling equipment other than in their own home.

This book was written by drawing on many years of practical experience in all of the topics covered in this book. Every procedure, operation, repair, new installation, rebuilding and removal and replacement I have, at one time or another, done, and not under ideal laboratory conditions. Home Heating and Air Conditioning Systems contains complete, detailed instructions and illustrations so that you can get the work done correctly, in accordance with the local regulations.

In this book, you'll see how to do a procedure the easiest, best and fastest way. Over the years, individual journeymen have developed methods and special procedures that are actually shortcuts, improvements and safer ways to perform necessary work. Some of these procedures should not be done by a handyperson or homeowner, because they might be hazardous to equipment, such as a heat pump or air conditioning compressor. It is recommended that these complicated procedures be done only by a trained technician in that particular field. Many of the procedures are illustrated and diagrams are furnished to accompany the written instructions. Some of the procedures that are explained in this book are detailed, and although this book has been written in clear, easy-to-understand terms, it might be necessary for you to read the instructions more than once. Follow directions sequentially, and do not skip steps. Doing procedures out of order could result in damaged equipment.

Chapters One and Two cover safety precautions and selecting and using tools correctly. Be sure to read these chapters before you begin any work so that you are aware of the potential hazards of handling flammable materials or explosive gases such as propane and natural gas.

Chapters Three and Four explain how to detect faulty installations and how to evaluate gas- and oil-fired furnaces. Chapter Five explains how different heating systems work and provides practical advice for choosing a new system or upgrading an older one. In Chapters Six and Seven, you'll learn how to install an oil-fired furnace and replace a boiler.

There is also information on how to install central air conditioning and window units, as well as a complete chapter on using a heat pump for supplemental heat or alone. There is also a complete chapter on servicing heating and air conditioning systems as well as a time-saving troubleshooting index.

For the most part, all of the work is within the ability of the average handyperson, do-it-yourselfer. Exceptions might be making the final connection to a live electrical panel or replacing a burned-out air conditioning compressor. Other than these few instances, all of the work explained and illustrated in this book can easily be done by the do-it-yourselfer.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments; Introduction; Chapter 1: Safety; Chapter 2: Tools; Chapter 3 Detecting Faulty Installations; Chapter 4: Evaluating Gas- and Oil-Fired Furnaces; Chapter 5: Selecting a Heating System; Chapter 6: Installing an Oil-Fired Furnace; Chapter 7: Installing a Replacement Boiler; Chapter 8: Installing Central Air Conditioning; Chapter 9: Heat Pumps; Chapter 10: Space Heating Appliances; Chapter 11: Servicing Heating and Air Conditioning Systems; Chapter 12: General Maintenance; Chapter 13: Related Heating and Cooling Equipment; Chapter 14: Troubleshooting Index; Glossary; Index.